The Price of Love
by darisu-chan
Summary: The first time Kurosaki Ichigo sees Kuchiki Rukia, it's at her engagement party.
1. Prelude

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach. It is property of Tite Kubo.

 **Author's Note:** So, this is my entry for the IRBB. To be honest, I didn't originally have this idea for this event. Years ago, back in 2012, I had an idea for a one shot titled "Of Family Duties and the Heart." I didn't finish it back then for lack of time. That one-shot later became a multichapter fanfic called "Breaking the Habit", which, again, was never finished. Years passed, the Bleach ending came, and I didn't think I could keep writing IR after that. But this fandom inspired me, and after this event was created, I thought it'd be the perfect opportunity to finally complete this fanfic. The original idea was to write a one-shot, because I thought I qouldn't have the time to write, but as it turned out, I ended up writing over 60 pages, and had to split the whole thing in 5 parts. I will be publishing the following parts once a wek, for I don't have much time. If you don't want to wait, you can read them in my tumblr, which you can find under this same name. It's been an honor participating in this event. I hope you enjoy this fanfic as much as I enjoyed writing it.

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 **Warning:** If you are an IH fan who likes to leave rude reviews on other people's fanfiction or fanart because you dislike the couple, this is a warning to you. If you dare leave a rude review bitching about my choice of shipping IR, and to "get over it", I'm gonna post it on Tumblr. I'm exposing you for being disrespectful. No, I don't care about your opinion. I'll always ship IR, so don't even bother. And why are you reading a IR fanfiction to begin with? Please, get lost.

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 _Prelude_

For fifteen years, Kurosaki Ichigo had lived a relatively normal life. He was born in Karakura, a small town near Tokyo, where life was ever calm. It was an ideal place to raise a family. There were good public schools, and the crime rates were pretty low, except for the occasional hooligan. People in Karakura most certainly ended up following their parents' footsteps, working in the same field, getting married, and then having children of their own in a never-ending cycle. Play. Pause. Repeat. The point was nothing of circumstance ever happened there. Not that Ichigo had ever complained in that aspect. All was well in Karakura Town.

Ichigo lived in a nice home in downtown Karakura along with his family like everyone else. However, his life could be said to be out of ordinary in three different aspects: 1) his house doubled as his father's clinic ─although that in itself wasn't that surprising, many people kept their businesses in the same place as their homes─; 2) his mother had passed away when he was very young, and hence his crazy father had had to raise him along with his sisters all by himself; and 3), and perhaps the thing that defined him the most, he had been born with orange hair. His mother's genes had given him hair with such a shade of orange that it looked like it had been dyed. This had caused him to be singled out as a hooligan from a young age, and had made him get into far too many fights. Yet, that feature was dear to him, and he decided early on to never dye his hair black. After all, his mother had loved his hair.

As for family life goes, it has been said already Ichigo's mother, Masaki, had passed away. The event took place when he had been nine years old. He had never quite forgotten that rainy day in which his mother's life was lost forever. His father, Kurosaki Isshin, had attempted ever since to fill the space left by his mother in his own way, which included a lot of crazy antics, and what Isshin had dubbed as "tough love." This, of course, tended to make Ichigo lose his temper often, which normally ended up with Isshin and Ichigo fighting on the floor. He was lucky that he wasn't an only child, though. His twin sisters, Karin and Yuzu, were there to share the pain that came with having such a crazy father. Karin was more similar to Ichigo. She was as sarcastic and temperamental as her older brother, and they often complained about their father together. Yuzu, though, was like an angel. The girl resembled their mother the most, and had taken upon herself to help with housework, such as cooking for her family. Although, it wasn't unheard of if she also scolded her father for his unorthodox antics. The three siblings were as close as any siblings could be, and they seldom fought between themselves. Ichigo loved his sisters, and they loved him back. Their father was a goof, but a lovable goof nonetheless. And although they all missed Masaki, they lived happily in their little house.

But it needs to be said that things didn't remain the same.

Ichigo was fifteen years old, and he had just started attending high school, when he noticed that his father had started acting weird. His father was always a strange fellow, there was no doubt about it, but his actions were different than they normally were. Isshin looked serious and almost jumpy every time the doorbell rang, as if he had been expecting someone to suddenly come in and murder his family. The three siblings, naturally, had noticed his sudden change in behavior right away, and had sat down to discuss it.

"Do you think dad has finally gone cuckoo?" Karin asked one afternoon in which their father had been busy in his clinic, and thus, was unable to hear them.

"Karin-chan!" Yuzu exclaimed. "Don't talk about dad like that!" The girl scolded her twin. Yuzu had always been the most polite member of the Kurosaki family, and often berated her siblings when they acted rude towards other people.

"I'm sorry, Yuzu, but you've got to admit dad's been acting very weird lately." Karin replied calmly.

"I know, but you can't say things like that! He's a little weird, but he's not crazy!" The girl said, defending her father.

"Whatever. But it still worries me." Karin crossed her arms, and then turned to look at her brother. "Ichi-nii, what do you think?"

Ichigo looked deep in thought. "There's certainly something bothering him." He answered after a few seconds of silence. "And it definitely has to do with that letter he received last week."

The twins nodded and all three siblings shared a worried look.

Last Friday had been a day like any other. Yuzu had cooked Ichigo his favorite meal, for he had been a little stressed out about his oncoming exams. Karin had set the table, while their father complained about the fact the sisters were being so nice to Ichigo, who didn't deserve it, and were never nice to their own father. Tired of listening to his jabbering, Ichigo had knocked him out cold with a punch to his face. However, Isshin had soon retaliated, and father and son had ended up fighting on the floor in a tangle of limbs. The fight ended when Karin decided to throw a dish on Isshin's head.

"Dad, stop making a mess in the kitchen!" Yuzu had scolded him, and that had been the last straw for Isshin.

The head of the family had cried out, and ran towards the poster of his deceased wife, which he had hung on the wall. "Masaki! Our children are being mean to their own father! Oh, Masaki! I try so hard to give them everything in the world, and this is how they repay me! I'm sure it's our delinquent son's fault! Oh, Masaki! I have failed you!"

The three siblings watched their father, sweat-dropping in the background. As the eldest Kurosaki had finished his mournful speech, they heard the doorbell ringing.

"Dad, stop being so embarrassing and go see who's at the door!" Karin yelled.

"Alright, my precious daughter! Don't you worry, daddy will see to it!"

The man happily walked towards the door, but he paused when he peered to see who was out. He hesitated, but opened the door anyway. "Yes?" He asked tentatively as he watched the person outside, who remained unseen by his children. "For you." A gruff voice could be heard. Isshin, then, received a white envelope. The intruder left when Isshin had the envelope in his hands. The father closed the door gently, and then put the envelope inside his doctor's coat. "Well, Yuzu, is dinner ready?" He asked and smiled at the three of them, but they all knew their father was faking it. The hand that had held the envelope shook hard all throughout dinner.

That was just the first of a series of strange behavior exhibited by the patriarch. During dinner, they had all inquired who had been at the door, and what that letter was about, but Isshin refused to tell them anything, and vehemently denied the letter had any importance, dubbing it as "junk mail."

"Dad, you can't seriously expect us to believe there's nothing amiss about that letter." Ichigo complained, and scowled at his father.

"As I've said before, it's nothing but junk mail. Those letters banks sometimes send with promos and the like."

The fifteen year old boy raised his eyebrow disbelievingly. "That sure didn't seem to me as your average mail. And that sure as hell wasn't the mailman."

Somehow, those words had ticked a nerve in Isshin. "Stop questioning me!" The father snapped. "My mail is none of your business, Ichigo! Now, keep quiet and finish your dinner!"

The dinner table had gone quite after that outburst. They all looked shocked at their father, but no one was more shocked than Ichigo. No matter how sarcastic he tended to be, Isshin had never shouted at him like that, not even when he came home covered in mud and bruises from the several fights he often found himself caught into.

"Excuse me." Isshin said, and, just as suddenly, stood up and went to his room. The siblings hadn't seen him until the next day, but his uncharacteristic mood remained. All throughout the week he had been irrationally pissed off, and had even snapped when Yuzu had suggested if there was something he wanted to talk about. Of course, telling Ichigo to shut up was one thing, but speaking so angrily towards Yuzu was unheard of. It sent the girl to tears, and caused her siblings to become mad as well.

"What the hell, dad?!" Ichigo screamed. In the background, Karin had immediately hugged her twin, as she glared at their dad. "Did you really need to shout at Yuzu?!"

Isshin seemed at a loss of words. "Ah… I… I'm sorry, Yuzu." He said, evidently ashamed of himself.

"It… it's okay." Yuzu answered between hiccups.

"No, it's not okay! We know you're angry, but you don't have to take it out on us! We don't know what the hell's going on, so the least you can do is either explain us, or keep your mood to yourself!"

"Onii-chan…" Yuzu quivered behind him, but the teenager was still shaking from his anger-fueled speech.

"Ichigo is right. I'm really sorry Yuzu, Karin, Ichigo. It won't happen again." With that he left the room.

This event had prompted the siblings to discuss the issue at hand the very moment their father had been busy and unable to hear them.

"I'm really worried about dad… Do you think the letter actually came from the bank?" Yuzu asked them after a few moments of silence.

Truth be told, Ichigo had immediately thought his father had received a letter of eviction, or something related. However, that didn't make sense. It was true that Kurosaki Isshin seemed an immature person at first glance, but that wasn't the reality. Isshin was responsible, and Ichigo was sure that their house had been paid off before he was even born. Although the business wasn't exactly thriving, Isshin always made ends meet somehow. They had never wanted for anything. And Ichigo was sure there was no way Isshin would do something that would endanger his family. But what if his father was actually indebted? Would they need to move? Would they need to sell most of their belongings? If that were the case, Ichigo would even start working part-time. He'd help his family too, no matter what. But he needed to know. _They_ needed to know.

But that wasn't something that should worry his eleven year old sisters.

"Don't worry, Yuzu." Ichigo smiled, and tenderly caressed his sister's head. "I'm sure dad will be back to normal soon enough."

"I hope it's sooner rather than later, Ichi-nii. I don't know how long we'll be able to stand this situation."

"Karin…" Ichigo sighed.

"I wish things went back to normal." Karin continued, as she hugged her knees.

"Don't worry, Karin-chan. We're in this together, the three of us!" Yuzu said cheerfully, and gently patted her twin's knee.

Karin smiled crookedly. "That's right. We're in the same boat."

"And if dad keeps bothering you, I might just have to kick his ass until he spills the beans!"

"Onii-chan!" Yuzu exclaimed horrified, while Karin snickered.

"And I'll help you with that, Ichi-nii."

"Not you too, Karin-chan!"

The conversation seemed to lift the siblings' spirits up, and by dinner time they were in a better mood, speaking cheerfully between themselves. However, soon things changed when Isshin entered the room. He was frowning, but his eyes seemed decided, as if he had found the resolve he had been lacking the whole past week. He took his seat at the table and coughed a little, to gain the attention of his children. "After dinner, I wish to speak to the three of you."

 _This is it._ The three siblings thought simultaneously, and eyed each other questioningly. The family ate dinner in silence after that. Yuzu tried to make small talk, but all of her attempts were met with reluctance. All of them were on edge, seemingly preparing for the worst. Yuzu was the only one hoping that whatever his father wanted to tell them wasn't as bad as they were all imagining. Nevertheless, she was as worried as Karin and Ichigo.

After dinner, and once all the dishes were cleaned and stored, they sat in the living room, the siblings sitting right next to each other, and Isshin standing up. They were quiet for a few minutes, all nervous about what their father could possibly tell them. Little did they know that the information their father was about to tell them would change the course of their existence forever.

Isshin sighed, and turned his head to look at his wife's poster. He smiled fondly at it, remembering his dear wife and how much she had meant to him, to them. Then, he turned to look at his children again, finding Masaki's traits in each of them. He smiled gently. "Have I ever told you how your mother and I met?" He said at last.

The siblings turned to look at each other, dumbfounded. This certainly wasn't the way they thought the conversation would start. And now that they thought about it, they found out that neither was exactly sure how their parents had met, and how they had fallen in love. They didn't even know their mother's maiden name, and if they had more family besides their father.

"I don't think you've ever told us, dad." Ichigo spoke.

Isshin chuckled. "No, I don't think we ever did tell you when Masaki was still alive, and then I felt that if I were to look at the past, I wouldn't be able to move forward for you." He answered truthfully.

The children gulped. The wound, whether they liked it or not, was still fresh, no matter how many years had passed. Hearing about their mother was just a reminder of what it could've been, but never was. However, they soon realized they weren't going to be able to escape from this, this time.

"Your mother and I met when I was in college, and she was still in high school." Isshin started saying, catching the kids' attention. "I was trying to find a mall or someplace where I could pass the time, but since I wasn't from here I ended up getting lost, and I almost got mugged by this guy who looked like a gang member. I, of course, would've been able to beat him, if he hadn't caught me off guard. And just when I thought he was going to stab me for being a smart ass ─much like you, Ichigo!─"

"Hey!"

"This girl wearing the local high school's uniform appeared out of nowhere and threw her purse at the guy! I was simply amazed! She told him to leave me alone, and that she was going to call the police. The guy got angry, of course, and tried to lunge at her, but I jumped heroically and stopped him. Too bad I ended up stabbing myself, which scared the guy, who ran away before the police arrived. The girl panicked, and, I don't know how, managed to carry me all the way to the general hospital where her uncle worked at. The man patched me up in no time, while the girl kept apologizing. I, looking rather cool I might add, told her she didn't have anything to worry about, and that it had been my pleasure saving her from that thief. Then, she complained that it was she, in fact, who had helped me to begin with. Her cousin, who was there as well, threw quite the fit when he heard her. It was so funny!" Isshin grinned foolishly.

His children looked expectantly at him.

"That girl was your mother." Isshin smiled nostalgically. "And from that day on, my life as I had known it, changed. There was no turning back."

The siblings looked at each other at a loss of what to say. They didn't know what it had to do with anything, until Karin realized an important bit of information. "Wait… you aren't from Karakura?" All this time, they had all thought both their parents had been born in Karakura.

Isshin grew serious. "No, I'm not from here. I came to Karakura to study medicine after high school. I was in my first semester when I met your mother. She was born here, but her parents died when she was young, so she moved in with her aunt and uncle."

"So where are you from, dad?" Yuzu asked, clearly interested.

"Well, Yuzu, this is what I wanted to talk about. My last name is not Kurosaki. That was your mother's name, which I took when we got married."

"So, if you're not a Kurosaki, who are you, dad?" Ichigo asked, feeling unsettled.

Isshin paused for a second, knowing that what he was going to reveal next would change his children's perception of him forever. "My real name is Shiba Isshin, and I used to be the Head of the Shiba Clan."

Isshin had been born as Shiba Isshin, the eldest son of the Head of the Shiba Clan, a noble house of great importance. From his birth onwards, Isshin was destined to be the next head, and as such, his life had already been decided for him. He was to study everything, from history to politics, as well as kenjutsu and other martial arts. His grades were to always be perfect, no matter what. He attended the best schools in the country. He was meant to study law or commerce to work in the family business, and marry a lady from a noble house to produce a new heir.

"I was never the son my father would have wished to have." Isshin continued explaining. "I never cared for social etiquette or anything of the sort. All I ever wanted was to be free. Free from all responsibility, free from my family. Growing up in a noble house is overbearing. I probably would've been happier had I been born the second son, but, well, I was not, and all responsibility fell on me. I often disappointed my father, and that heavily weighed on me. My younger brother, though, he seemed to be the perfect son. He was disciplined. He could learn anything he wanted within seconds. He was always serious. And although he was younger than me for a year, he was more mature than I was. The only thing against him was that he was the second son. I think he always resented me for being born first.

"When I was in high school, I started seeing my career options. Truth be told, I didn't want to be into politics, law, business, or anything of the sort. Somehow, I found myself interested in medicine, and got into my head that I wanted to be a doctor. At first, my father didn't want me to study medicine, but after a while he relented. His only condition was that I shouldn't study in Tokyo. He didn't want his friends to find out, so he sent me to a small town, which had a great medicine program. As you can imagine, that town was Karakura.

"So I came here, and during the first month of my stay, I met your mother. After feeling guilty for my injury, she offered to show me around, much to her cousin's chagrin. We became friends rather quickly, and soon spent all of our free time together. For the first time in my life, I was happy, and I had a friend who understood. It turns out that Masaki's uncle and aunt, or rather her aunt, wanted her to follow into her uncle's footsteps and become a doctor, thing she didn't want. Masaki wanted to become a lawyer, and defend the innocent. But sadly, it seemed it couldn't be possible. I think this is why we eventually grew closer than we should have.

"And so I spent my first year studying hard, and befriending Masaki. I finally felt at home. However, things soon changed, for just before my third semester started, my father grew ill. It was cancer, but the doctors all said my father would make a speedy recovery. We all hoped he did, since we were paying the best doctors in Japan to cure him. I decided then to become the best student of my year for my father's sake, and so I started studying more than ever. It never really occurred to me that I should also take care of the Clan's affairs. I left that responsibility to my younger brother, who was just starting to study politics at the time.

"A year and a half passed by, and in that time I was tied with Masaki's cousin Ryuuken as best student of the generation. Also, Masaki had convinced her family to allow her to study law. One would think we'd see each other less, but it was just the opposite. We started dating, and we were growing strong. It was in this moment, when my father passed away. No treatment had worked, and he had finally succumbed to cancer. Then, just after his death, I became Head of the Shiba Clan. Duty dictated that I should quit school and remain in Tokyo, where the clan is seated. However, I convinced the elders that I should finish my residence. They agreed, and decided that my brother would help me oversee clan matters during my absence.

"I had really hoped they'd ignore me for the time being, but of course they didn't. Less than six months had gone by, when the elders called me to discuss my marriage. They had already engaged myself to a woman from a noble house, who was barely eighteen. I, of course, refused, which caused a great fight among the clan. I told them I was already very much in love with another woman, and that I didn't want to marry someone I didn't know. The clan and my brother were all furious. They claimed I was incompetent and irresponsible, and that I'd been the reason why my father had died. 'He died from disappointment.' That's what my own brother told me. They also investigated your mother's background behind my back, and said she was no fit to be my wife. That was the last straw. I told them they could either accept I had to keep on studying and would marry Masaki if I wanted, or that I would quit as Head of the clan. They didn't accept my deal, and so I left.

"I took the money my mother had left me in a trust fund, and came to Karakura to live permanently. I used the money to pay for an apartment, my college fees, and later for a house that would also double as my own clinic. When I was 24 and Masaki was 23, and had graduated college, we got married. A year later, Ichigo was born, and the rest is history." Isshin finished speaking after this.

The siblings took a few moments to mull over the new information they had received. Finally, Ichigo decided to speak. "I'm glad that you've taken the time to tell us about your past, since it was always clouded in mystery… but, why now? What happened that would make you tell us about it?"

"Ah, good question my son!" Isshin exclaimed. "You see, after I renounced my position as head, I didn't keep in contact with my family. I knew that my brother had become head a few weeks later, and had married the girl my family wanted me to marry. Together they had three children, and all seemed well for the Shibas. But, beside that, I didn't know anything about the clan. Yet, last week I received a letter which was delivered by one of the butlers I had known since childhood. It came from my nephew, Kaien. In it, he informed me that my brother had passed away a few months ago from a heart attack, and that he was now the Head of the Clan. He also said that now that his father was gone, he wished to mend the ties between the Clan and me. Kaien also said he wants to get to know me, and by extension the three of you. It was implied that he wants us to retake the Shiba name, and form part of the Clan again.

"I got frightened because the past was finally catching up to me, but now it involved all of you. The moment Ichigo was born, I made a vow that I'd never let him, and later Yuzu and Karin, become tangled in the Clan's affairs. And now it seems you becoming Shibas is actually a possibility. I'm sorry for being so distant, and acting so strange for the past week, but I've been trying to make a decision regarding this situation. Finally, I realized that I can't choose for you. I think you're old enough to choose what you want. So, I leave it in your hands. I know where I stand in regards to the Clan, but I want to know what you think."

"Can we ask you something, dad?" Ichigo enquired.

"Anything you want."

"What would happen if we become part of the Shiba Clan?"

"Well, then you'd all be nobles, and as such would have responsibilities. I do think the Clan would want you to study in the best schools of Tokyo, and study business or politics to form part of one of the many branches they have. They'd want you to take etiquette classes and demand you to have the best grades in your year. Maybe they'd even try to arrange marriages for you in hopes of making powerful alliances. But, perhaps due to your mother's lineage, they wouldn't mind you as long as you don't involve yourselves in scandals."

"But why would they want us back?" Karin asked.

"I'm not sure. That's something only your cousin Kaien can tell us."

"If we become part of the Clan, would we have to move to Tokyo?" Yuzu inquired next.

"That'd probably be the wish of the elders, but since I'm not the head anymore, there's no rule to where the rest of the family can live as long as we go to the manor when summoned."

"Do _you_ want to rekindle your relationship with them?" Ichigo finally managed to ask.

"Truthfully, I don't. But, on the other hand, I feel guilty that I was never there for my brother, you know? Kaien said in his letter that his mother died when he was a little kid, just after the birth of his youngest sibling. She died even before Masaki did. And apparently my brother had been sick for a while of various illnesses before finally dying from a heart attack. I wasn't there when he needed me the most, and I was his older brother. I guess that if I could be there for his children, then I'd be able to do right by him, you know?"

The siblings nodded. Their father was a kind soul, after all, and learning about the death of his estranged brother most definitely had a negative effect on his spirits. It was normal that he would like to at least meet his other living relatives, his brother's children, and have a relationship with them in the way he couldn't with his brothers.

"Dad, can I ask you something too?" Yuzu suddenly asked.

"Of course, my dear!"

"If, say, we were to meet our cousin Kaien, ask him all of our questions about the Clan, and his intentions, and then decide if we want to belong to it, would that be alright?"

Isshin mulled over her words for a few moments. "I guess that's the most reasonable thing to do, Yuzu. I, myself, don't know about the state of the Clan right now, and how strict are their rules right now. Maybe they are laxer now than how they were when I was young. I think we can only know asking the head himself."

It was then decided that they would first speak to Shiba Kaien, before making a decision. So Isshin diligently wrote to his nephew, asking him when it was appropriate for them to meet. He instantly received an answer. Kaien was enthusiastic about the prospect of not only meeting his uncle but his cousins as well. He invited all of them to lunch at a restaurant in Karakura the following Friday, and Kaien said his siblings, Kūkaku and Ganju, were also coming.

A whole week passed by, and it was time for them to meet their cousins. The Kurosaki family arrived to the restaurant, one of the few elegant ones in town, and found their cousins sitting on a table.

"Ah, you must be Uncle Isshin. I'm Kaien, nice to meet you." The eldest of the three siblings spoke and shook hands with Isshin.

The older man nodded and smiled. "Nice to meet you, Kaien. These are my children, Ichigo, Karin and Yuzu."

"Nice to meet you, guys!" Kaien said rather cheerfully.

Shiba Kaien was not how they had expected him to be. He was young, twenty at most, and seemed rather jovial, as opposed to the image of the strict and stuck up noble they had thought him to be.

"He looks like you, onii-chan." Yuzu had whispered to Ichigo when Kaien had been introduced.

It was true. Kaien and Ichigo shared many similarities, their face structure was almost the same, and they even had the same body built, although Kaien, who was older than Ichigo, was also taller and had more body muscle than his teen cousin. The similarities were probably due to the fact that Kaien looked remarkably like Isshin when he had been young. The young man had long spiky black hair, tan skin, aquamarine eyes, and a gentle smile. He seemed friendly. The siblings felt like the man radiated warmth. He was also wearing rather informal clothes: dark jeans and a blue shirt with boots.

"This is Kūkaku, my younger sister." Then he introduced the girl who accompanied him.

"Nice to meet you." She said, and more than smiling at them, she smirked at them.

The woman was younger than Kaien but seemed older than Ichigo by a few years. She was rather tall for a girl, and had short black hair, barely reaching her neck. Her eyes were similar to her brother's, but were greener rather than blue. She was wearing a red blouse with a deep v neckline, a white skirt with a brown belt, and sandals. But perhaps the most striking feature on the woman was the fact she had a prosthetic arm. The siblings looked at it, out of curiosity. Kūkaku noticed this. The siblings were about to apologize for being rude when she laughed.

"I lost my arm ages ago in an accident. It's no big deal. I'm alive, which is what matters!" Kaien laughed as well, while the siblings looked at her sheepishly. They apologized, and she dismissed them. "S'okay. A lot of people are surprised when they see it, and it's okay if you have questions. We're family!"

"That's right, Kūkaku!" Kaien nodded. "And this is Ganju, the youngest." He introduced the other guy, who had quietly watched the presentations up until this point.

Ganju blushed and shook hands with Isshin. "I… I'M SHIBA GANJU, PLEASED TO MEET YOU UNCLE!" He shouted, making the other dinner guests stare at them.

"Idiot!" Kūkaku exclaimed, and hit Ganju on the head. "Keep your voice down! We're at a restaurant!" She hissed.

The guy rubbed his head. "I'm sorry, nee-san."

Ganju looked nothing like his siblings and at the same time he did. His appearance was brutish when compared to the natural elegance Kaien and Kūkaku possessed. His nose was prominent, as well as his chin and forehead. He was rather tall and had a well-built body. And as the siblings had come to expect from the Shiba family, he had black hair, and green eyes much like Kūkaku's and Kaien's. He was dressed more casually than his siblings, with jeans, a simple green shirt, and a bandana.

"Well, we better sit." Kaien suggested after the introductions had finished, and conversation soon ensued.

The Shiba siblings were nothing like the Kurosaki siblings had expected. One wouldn't have been able to tell they were in front of the Head of the Shiba Clan with one view. They were rowdy and funny and unapologetically incorrigible, so much that they looked more like Isshin's own children than his stuck up brother's. Isshin was pleasantly surprised and found himself laughing throughout the meal, his initial worries long forgotten. The siblings had soon become comfortable as well, and Karin and Kūkaku found out both liked to make fun of their brothers, and soon joined together to mess with both Ichigo and Ganju, who had become rivals at some point during the evening. Yuzu was perfectly content in observing and laughing, occasionally talking with Kaien about their siblings' antics. They all felt as if they had known each other for ages. It felt like being at home.

They found out a lot about each other during the course of dinner. Kaien was twenty years old, and was studying to become a lawyer, although his late father had wished he had studied politics instead like he had done. Still, it was an honorable job and the clan elders were pleased. Meanwhile, Kūkaku had recently finished high school, but instead of choosing one of the clan's pre-selected majors, she had chosen to study Chemical Engineering, decision which was fully supported by Kaien, who had already been named head of the clan by then. Ganju, who had just turned seventeen, was still in high school, and had an inexplicable fondness for pigs, even owning one named Bonnie. Their mother had died when Ganju had been but a baby, after a complication she had when delivering Ganju. As a result, they had grown close together, and the youngest ones wished to please their older brother. Another tragedy in the family struck when Kūkaku lost her arm during a firework-related accident. Although most members of the clan were horrified, the girl was strong and positive, and had decided to make the most out of her new situation. She declared herself capable of doing many things as if she still had two hands, and refused to be treated like a fragile person. The last tragedy had been their father's death, which had brought a series of change in their lives. Kaien had soon decided that the clan rules needed to change in order for the clan to progress in the new century. Noble clans were already outdated, and their members treated like privileged snobs, who had gotten everything handed in, and thus didn't know the meaning of hard work. Family ties were also important, and the only way to survive was to support each other, now more than ever. All of this was what had pushed Kaien to search for his estranged uncle.

Isshin had been pleased during dinner. His nephews and niece were kind and down-to-earth, admirable members of society. Honestly, they weren't one bit like their father, and seemed to have inherited his own craziness, which probably drove the elders insane. But Isshin was hopeful things would improve soon under Kaien's leadership.

"So Uncle, what do you think, do you want to come back to the clan?" Kaien asked during dessert, making conversation stop.

"I'm happy to have finally met the three of you, but you know my relationship with the elders is very challenging. I never became the kind of person they wanted, and I have led a very different life than I should've had. Coming back would be extremely difficult." Isshin said honestly,

Kaien was not pleased to listen to this words. It wasn't necessarily what he wanted to hear. "I assure you that they want you back, Uncle, as I do." He said earnestly. "But I understand your situation."

"This doesn't mean I don't want to have a relationship with you, Kaien. I only mean to say I don't want to take the Shiba name back."

At this the young man smiled. "Then I tell you what, I will take you into consideration as part of the family, meaning all of you will be invited to family events, such as birthdays and weddings. We won't lose contact with each other again. However, I'll make sure that the elders don't bother you with troublesome things as duty and the like."

The Kurosakis smiled. "That's a great idea, Kaien."

"Then, nii-san," Kūkaku spoke, "you should invite them to _that_ too."

"To what?" Isshin asked to which Kaien groaned.

"My engagement party."

* * *

 **A/N:** This was just an introductory chapter, but I had fun writing Isshin, Yuzu, Karin, Kaien and his siblings. I don't usually write about them, and it was cool to revisit them. Next chapter, Ichigo will finally meet Rukia.


	2. Introduction

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach. It is property of Tite Kubo.

 **Author's Note:** I'm so happy with the response this fanfiction had! Thank you everyone for reviewing, following, and putting this story on your favorites, you rock! I know that all of you wanted the meeting to happen last chapter, but never fear, it happens in this chapter. I want to thank Pamianime for drawing the fanart for this fanfiction. Pami has been one of my favorite IR artists for years, and having her choose my fanfic and draw fanart for it is a dream come true. Check out her Tumblr for a better image quality.

Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well, and if you want, check out my other entry for the IRBB called "The Lies We Tell Ourselves." It's already in here as well as Tumblr. See you next time!

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Guest 1:** I think this is the best review I've ever received in here. Thank you very much! I've always wanted to be a popular IR writer, but it's never been the case. So I'm very happy that you think this one deserves to be remembered. I'm also glad it's your personal Bleach ending. Again, thank you very much. You inspire me to keep writing more for the fandom.

 **lightdesired:** Sorry hehe. But hey, at least it's here!

 **Guest 2:** Thank you! I hope you could find it, and if not, here's the second part.

* * *

 _Introduction_

The salon was the most elegant place Ichigo had ever set foot into. It was grand, fancily decorated, and full of people. It seemed that the Shibas were a very well-known noble family, for Ichigo could see at least five hundred people there, and it was still early. Every single guest was dressed either in a tuxedo or in gowns, obviously made by designers. Ichigo would have felt out of place if Kaien hadn't provided his family with the appropriate attires for the occasion. He was currently wearing a black tux with a blue tie, which was asphyxiating him. Beside him were Yuzu and Karin, each wearing a dress, Yuzu's was a peach color, while Karin's was navy blue. Yuzu seemed quite fascinated with her dress, which was embroidered with pearls. Meanwhile, Karin was feeling very uncomfortable, for she wasn't used to wearing dresses at all. Isshin was wearing a tux as well, and was currently talking to a couple. Apparently, others had recognized him and wanted to know what had become of him, and what he was doing there at the moment. Ichigo could also see his cousin Kūkaku from where he was standing. She was wearing a red dress, and was currently scolding Ganju for daring wear his green bandana to the event. He hadn't seen Kaien the whole night.

"Ichigo, Yuzu, Karin, come." Isshin called his children, and they all walked towards where he was. "I want to introduce you to two old friends of mine, Urahara Kisuke and Shihoin Yoruichi." He said pointing towards a blond man and a dark skinned woman, who was wearing a golden gown with a deep neckline.

"We're not so old, Isshin." The woman said playfully. "I'm Yoruichi, nice to meet you." She said cordially, and shook each of their hands. "So you _must_ be Ichigo." She said once she reached Ichigo's hands. "You're very handsome, aren't you?" She said, and purposely let Ichigo had a nice view of her breasts. The poor boy turned bright red and the woman laughed.

"Yoruichi-san, stop embarrassing the poor boy!" The blond man complained. "I want to embarrass him myself!" He then added and both laughed. "I'm only joking! I'm Urahara Kisuke, and it sure is nice to finally meet Isshin-san's spawn!"

"Yeah, Isshin, you kept them hidden for far too long! We were dying to see if they looked like you or like your lovely wife. It sure is good you take after your mother, kids." Yoruichi said, while Isshin went red.

"Yoruichi!" He complained.

"Believe me, Yoruichi-san, we're happy that we look like our mother instead of our father." Karin added, which made the other two adults laugh and Isshin blabber.

"I like this one, she's spunky!" The woman exclaimed.

The siblings chatted a bit with their father and his two friends, listening to stories of Isshin's youth. As it turned out, Yoruichi was a member of one of the fifth noble clans, but, like Isshin himself, she had renounced her family to follow her dreams of being a journalist. Urahara, on the other hand, was not a noble, but what he lacked in breeding, he made up in brains. He was basically a genius, and had gained a scholarship in the schools Yoruichi and Isshin used to go to. That's how the three had met. Ichigo also thought it was heavily implied the two adults were together, but not married. He wondered how that could be in the world Yoruichi moved around. Later he would find out that the only reason why those two had even been invited was that Yoruichi was such an important journalist, it did the other nobles no good to ignore her.

"Hey, have you met Kaien-san's fiancée?" Urahara suddenly asked.

"No, I haven't had the pleasure yet." Isshin said.

"Oh, you're in for a surprise, Isshin! You'll never guess who she is!" Yoruichi said with intrigue.

"Who is she?"

Yoruichi smirked. "Byakuya-bo's very own daughter and heiress to the clan!"

"No way." Isshin whispered.

"It seems that the Shibas long ago promised an alliance between the two clans, and only now were they able to fulfill that promise. Before only boys had been born to both families, but now the Kuchikis finally have a girl."

Isshin absorbed this information, and then turned grim. "Surely Byakuya-kun is not pleased."

"He's not." Urahara simply said.

"But he can't do anything about it. He _can't_ rebel against the clan, anymore." Yoruichi answered simply, and they changed the topic to something else.

An hour later, Ichigo was calmly sipping his champagne, the first alcoholic beverage he had ever drank, when he got distracted by a great commotion. All guests suddenly turned to the staircase, from which a man and a girl descended. The man was wearing an elegant tuxedo, and the girl was wearing a pink gown, with diamonds embroidered on it. The crowd cooed when they appeared into view, which made Ichigo curious.

"Who's that?" He asked his father.

"That's Kuchiki Byakuya, Head of the Kuchiki Clan, and the girl is his daughter, Kuchiki Rukia." Isshin answered.

"What?" Ichigo exclaimed, remembering the conversation they had had with Isshin's friends. "Is that Kaien's fiancée?"

"Yes."

"But she's not older than me! How can that be?!" He exclaimed, but Isshin silenced him with a pat on his shoulder.

"That's the way clans work."

Then Isshin explained to Ichigo how Byakuya had fallen in love with a commoner, in much the same way as Isshin had fallen in love with Masaki. "Byakuya refused to leave his clan for love, but he also refused to leave the woman he loved. He wanted to have everything, so he bent the rules to be able to marry her. In exchange, the elders made him promise he'd never disobey again. Thus, now he's unable to save his only daughter from the fate he himself evaded." Isshin explained matter-of-factly. "That, son, is the price of love. And those of us who have broken rules for love, now have to pay for it." Ichigo now had a better knowledge of how awful clans truly were. To think they'd engage an adult, as young as he were, to a girl was unforgivable to Ichigo.

Kaien finally appeared at the bottom of the stairs, and gently took the girl's hand in his, and escorted her around the room. Ichigo felt that the bride and groom were parading in front of hundreds pairs of eyes, who eyed them hungrily for entertainment. That made him feel sick. Finally, Kaien stopped in front of his uncle and cousins, with his fiancée next to him.

"Rukia, I want you to meet my uncle, my father's brother, and his children. Uncle, this is Rukia, my fiancée." He introduced them. The girl bowed to them.

"I am pleased to meet Kaien-dono's family." She said.

Kaien chuckled, and scratched his head embarrassed. "I've already told you to simply call me Kaien." He laughed.

"I can't possibly do that." She answered.

Isshin decided to interrupt them. "Rukia-chan, it is nice to finally meet you, I'm Kurosaki Isshin and these are my daughters, Yuzu and Karin, and my son, Ichigo." They all greeted each other.

Now that she finally was close to him, Ichigo studied the girl. She looked to be about his age, like he had inferred earlier, or even younger, for she was very small. She looked like a doll, though, she was beautiful and delicate. She had black hair, which was in an up do, and pale skin, which seemed smooth at first glance. Her most striking feature was her eyes, which were a strange mix between blue and purple, giving a mysterious aura to the girl. But as beautiful as she was, to Ichigo she looked almost dead, for there was no light in her eyes, and her smiles didn't seem honest. Ichigo pitied her.

"You know, Rukia-chan, I think you and my son are the same age." Isshin commented casually.

"Oh really? I'm fifteen, how old are you?" For the first time in the night, Rukia addressed him.

"I'm fifteen too." He answered simply.

"Well, you two could be friends!" Kaien replied cheerfully, and Rukia forced a smile.

"Yes, we could be."

Before anyone else could say something, Rukia's father appeared. "Rukia, some of our relatives wish to speak with Kaien and you. Please go with them." The man said stoically. From the corner of his eye, Ichigo noticed how both Kaien and Rukia tensed.

"Yes, father." She answered her father, and then turned to look at the Kurosakis. "It was nice meeting you all. I hope we can see each other again someday."

"And you will, Rukia-chan. Now go, your family is waiting for you." Isshin said. Both Kaien and the girl bowed and bid their goodbyes. However, Rukia's father remained.

"Well, Byakuya-kun, I never thought I'd see you again." Isshin addressed the other man.

"Shiba Isshin." Byakuya nodded.

"It's actually Kurosaki now. How have you been?"

"I have been very well. And yourself?"

"Good, good. These are my children. I don't think you ever met them." Isshin introduced them to Byakuya, who simply looked at them with no emotion in his eyes.

"No, I do not believe I did." He nodded to them. "Forgive me, I have matters to attend to. But thank you for coming to my daughter's engagement party."

"Thank you for having us here."

Byakuya nodded one more time and left.

"That was a noble through and through." Isshin commented and the kids had to agree with him. That was the life Isshin had renounced to, and for the first time that night, he was happy that was the case.

* * *

After the party things went back to normal for the Kurosakis. Isshin kept working at his clinic, Karin played soccer with her friends after school, Yuzu started learning new recipes, and Ichigo went back to his high school life. On the outside, one might have thought that the appearance of Shiba Kaien and the rest of the clan meant nothing in the long run. The clan affairs would never have any effect on the Kurosaki family, and vice versa. But how wrong they all were!

One day after school, Ichigo arrived home only to find a black limousine parked outside his house. He wasn't as surprised as he should have been a few weeks ago, before he knew about his father's true lineage. However, he was curious nonetheless. Could Kaien have come for a visit? But that didn't match what he knew about the older man. The last time his cousin had been here, he had drove in his own car. Could that be another crazy relative they didn't know anything about? Well, he wouldn't know until he found out, so he opened the door, peeking curiously to see if he could find anything amiss.

"Tadaima." He announced, as he took off his shoes and put his slippers on.

"In here!" Isshin yelled from the living room, so the boy directed his view towards it.

In the living room were sitting his father, his sisters and his cousin Kaien, which didn't surprise him in the least. What was surprising, though, was the fact that Kuchiki Byakuya himself and his daughter were sitting there too! His eyes widening as he approached them, wondering what they could possibly want.

"Ichigo, you remember Kuchiki Byakuya and Rukia-chan, right?" His father asked him the moment he joined them all in the living room.

"Yeah, I remember." Ichigo muttered and awkwardly greeted the guests. "How are you?"

"We are good, thank you." Byakuya answered, as stoically as ever. Rukia nodded her head from where she was seated, and gave him a small smile. "I presume you have good health." The noble politely said.

"Yeah… erm… thanks." The boy answered and scratched the back of his neck. What the hell was going on?

"Yo, Ichigo! We have some news for you!" Kaien said gleefully, breaking the silence that had taken over the room. "Starting tomorrow, Rukia here will be your classmate!" He announced excitedly.

"Wha─?!" Ichigo exclaimed, completely caught of ward.

"That's right, son! Rukia-chan wants to have a complete high school experience, and we're gonna give it to her!" As his father finished speaking, Ichigo knew this was a terrible idea.

As it were, Kaien had suggested to his future father-in-law that Rukia might be missing out on her youth. It appeared that Rukia didn't have many friends in school, and she had been stuck attending the same academy all her life, which left her with a narrow view of the world. And since the elders wanted Rukia and Kaien to get married by the time she would turn eighteen, Kaien felt it was his duty to make it possible that Rukia would have as many experiences as possible, before tying the knot.

"I was just telling Kuchiki-san what a nice place Karakura is, and how peaceful it is! Then he told me the Kuchiki Clan actually owns a summer house here, and I thought it'd be a great idea if Rukia could occasionally come here with me to visit my family. The conversation eventually escalated to the importance of having diverse experiences and meeting new people. So Kuchiki-san and I thought it'd be a good idea if Rukia could go to school here, since I told him she wouldn't be alone, for Ichigo and Rukia are actually the same age! What an incredible coincidence!" He said cheerfully as his cousin listened attentively.

"Of course Rukia will have to keep her grades up, as top of the school. It is what it is expected of a Kuchiki." Byakuya added.

"Right, and now doubt she'll be able to! She's very smart!" At Kaien's compliment, the girl turned bright red.

"You do me honor, Kaien-dono." She muttered and her fiancé patted her head gently.

"It's the truth, Rukia."

"So, they came here to tell us and see if we could show Rukia-chan around. Of course I said yes! We're gonna be family and families help each other! Besides, Ichigo too needs to socialize more, and maybe Rukia-chan can teach him some manners!" Isshin commented as cheerfully as Kaien, the similarities between uncle and nephew being very striking.

Ichigo, meanwhile, rolled his eyes at what his father had said. Couldn't he go a day without embarrassing him?

"So Ichigo, I'm gonna give you the important task of showing my fiancée around school and making sure she feels comfortable, alright?" Kaien asked him, turning serious for a moment, surprising the boy, who had never seen his cousin act in such a way.

"Sure." He answered simply, and Kaien grinned.

"Great! Since that's settled, I think we can talk about logistics now!"

The rest of the afternoon went by with Ichigo and Isshin answering Byakuya's long questions about Karakura High School, and general life at the town. It was established that Rukia would arrive to school via limousine from her house, and that after school, she could walk towards the Kurosaki's place along Ichigo, and stay for dinner until she was settled. Then, the limousine would pick her up and take her home. When she felt it was time, Rukia could walk by herself to the summer house, which was actually rather close to the school.

As he heard all of this, Ichigo started thinking that it was a bad idea. People at school would start asking questions, as the Kuchiki name had a fame of its own. Besides, it was obvious that if Ichigo, resident bad boy and loner, started hanging out with a girl, they would all think they were dating, and somehow he felt that saying she was his cousin's fiancée would make things worse.

Ichigo's quiet days were over.

* * *

Next day, Ichigo arrived to school at the same time as always. Around him, people were muttering and he guessed that Rukia had already arrived. Great. Now he would need to start with his duty. Just great. He wondered in what classroom had Rukia ended up in, he forgot to ask. Now he would need to search for her in all first year classrooms. That would certainly ruin his reputation. He groaned at that. Well, whatever, his problems could wait until he reached his classroom.

Ichigo reached his class, and went inside. He found his childhood friend Tatsuki and his classmate Inoue already there.

"Yo!" He greeted them.

"Morning, Ichigo." Arisawa Tatsuki greeted him too. She was rather tall for a girl, and had black short hair. She had known Ichigo since early childhood for they took judo classes together.

"G…good morning!" Inoue Orihime, Tatsuki's best friend greeted Ichigo and blushed. It was no secret that the beauty had a crush on the bad boy, although Ichigo was oblivious to it.

"You look happy as always, Inoue." He commented and then turn to Kojima Mizuiro, his other friend. "Oi, Mizuiro, what's third period?"

"Morning, Ichigo." The black haired boy greeted him. "It's social studies."

"Alright, maybe Ochi-san won't notice if I leave." Ichigo put his stuff on his desk, and was about to ask them if they knew about the new girl, when a voice to his side interrupted him.

"Are you Kurosaki-kun?" He turned and found Kuchiki Rukia, already wearing the school's uniform, sitting on the desk next to his. "Nice to meet you!" She said rather sweetly.

"Oh, this is Kuchiki-san. She transferred in today!" Mizuiro said. "It's a weird time, but her family was in a situation where they had to move suddenly.

"You..why?!" Ichigo exclaimed. Wasn't he supposed to look for her? And why was she acting as if they had never met?

"What's wrong?" Mizuiro asked, as he noticed his friend's strange behavior.

"Kurosaki-kun, I don't have the textbooks yet… may I look at yours?" She asked Ichigo, and raised the palm of her hand as if to take the books, but in reality she was showing him something she had wrote on her palm. _Say something and I'll kill you_ was written in black ink. Ichigo felt a shiver run down his spine. She no doubt had enough money to hire someone to kill him, but was she actually serious? Should he follow her lead?

"Ah… well…" He hesitated, and Rukia had had enough. She hit him on his stomach, and had the nerve to act surprise.

"I'm sorry, Kurosaki-kun, are you okay? I should take you to the infirmary!" She exclaimed, and started leading him outside the classroom, to the surprise of the rest of the class.

"Did she just hit him?" Mizuiru asked, and the girls nodded.

Once he had recovered, Ichigo led Rukia to the roof to talk.

"Where are we going? Why are you leading me to such an empty place?" She asked, now foregoing using the rather sweet tone of voice she had been using in front of their classmates. Ichigo realized she had a deep voice for a girl her size.

"Don't get any weird ideas!" Ichigo exclaimed. "I just want to know what's going on! So, explain!" He demanded rather rudely.

"Explain? Explain what?" Rukia asked, raising an eyebrow rather cutely.

"Yeah, explain! Why are you in my class? Why didn't you wait for me at the entrance of school? And why are you acting like you don't know me?" He kept spitting questions one after another.

"First, your father was kind enough to talk to the principal and get me into your class so I wouldn't be alone. I didn't wait for you because I arrived too early and I didn't want to just wait and see when you'd get here. And finally, I acted like I didn't know you for a simple reason: I don't want it to get out I'm engaged to your cousin, okay?" She answered calmly.

"Fine, I understand that. But how are we going to conceal the fact that we do know each other? You're gonna walk home with me every day, remember?" He said, and Rukia started thinking.

"Hmmm… maybe I can follow you at a safe distance?" She mulled and Ichigo snapped.

"No way! You're gonna look like a stalker, following me!"

Rukia sighed dejectedly. "This is a mess! My happy high school days are going to be ruined!"

"Hey, don't be so overdramatic! And why do you care? This wasn't even your idea to begin with. Your father and Kaien are making you come here."

"Fool." Rukia insulted him.

"What?!"

"Do you really think Kaien-dono came up with this plan all by himself? _I_ was the one who originally wanted to go to a public school this year. I was tired of all the snobs in my other school, but I knew that my father would never allow me to go to public school in Tokyo, so I told Kaien-dono about my situation, and he decided to help me out. It just so happened that he rekindled his relationship with your father around the same time, and that my family owns a house in this town. You and I being the same age was an added bonus. He convinced my father with all that nonsense of wanting me to experience other things. Kurosaki-san also helped by saying he'd look out for me."

"So you really wanted to come here, huh?" Ichigo asked after listening to her story.

"Yes! But my dream high school experience will be in danger if word goes out I'm already engaged. That's not normal _at all_! I just want a carefree life until it's time to take care of my responsibilities." She said dejectedly.

"Fine. I'll help. But only because if people find out we're linked to each other, weird rumors will start and I don't want them to ruin my reputation!" Ichigo said rather rudely, pretending he didn't care a tiny bit for the girl and her situation.

"I'm glad to hear that. Guess we're on the same boat, right Kurosaki-kun?" Rukia raised her hand as if to shake hands with him.

"Yes, but stop with that 'Kurosaki-kun' thing, it's annoying!" The boy said, crossing his arms.

This admission surprised Rukia. "Then how should I call you?" She asked.

"I don't care for things like that, just call me Ichigo."

Rukia smiled. "Then the same goes for you, call me Rukia."

They shook hands and that's how their partnership started, which would have unexpected results.

* * *

As it turned out, the two didn't need to come up with excuses to be together, for their homeroom teacher assigned Ichigo as Rukia's guide for the rest of the week or until Rukia was comfortable enough on her own. "Ichigo, you lucky bastard!" Asano Keigo, one of Ichigo's friends and a pervert, exclaimed once the teacher have given them the news. Ichigo realized it didn't matter if people ever found out the nature of their real relationship, weird rumors were going to spread anyway, and he had a feeling Keigo was going to be the one to spread them.

Another thing Ichigo soon found out was that he and Rukia could never agree on things and were prone to bickering. He first discovered this during Rukia's first day of classes, when it was time to go home. Even though he had told her that following him from behind was a bad idea, she had gone for it anyway. As he walked in the front, Rukia was a few steps behind, sometimes even hiding behind trash cans, poles or trees. In short, she was acting like a creepy stalker, and Ichigo could hear other students murmuring as they watched the two intently. After walking for three blocks this way, Ichigo had had enough.

"Stop following me like that!" He turned and yelled at Rukia, who was currently hiding behind a pole.

"What are you talking about? I'm not following you." She said as innocently as she could muster while she gritted her teeth in anger.

"Yes, you are! I told you it wouldn't work! Now walk next to me like a normal human, you idiot!" He shouted and insulted the girl, which was a boiling point for her.

"Don't call me idiot, you fool!" Rukia yelled and kicked him on the shin.

"Bitch!" He said in pain, as he bent over to massage his abused body part.

"Fine! I'll walk next to you!" She said, as she crossed her arms, and started walking, leaving the poor boy behind.

"Hey! You don't even know where we're going! Wait up!"

That was just the first of many more fights which had ensued over stupid things. So far, they had argued about sitting arrangements during dinner, the correct answers in their math homework, which type of manga was better: shounen or horror, which TV program should they watch after dinner, and many more. Another thing that pissed Ichigo off was the fact that Rukia was nice to everyone but him. She was friendly and even cute when talking to Karin, Yuzu and his dad, although the four tended to gang up on him to embarrass him. She was overly polite during class, and always greeted their classmates with a smile on her face, which had made her rather popular in but a few days of her arrival. Ichigo tended to say it was only because they hadn't seen her in a bad mood. That always gained him a kick either to the shin, his face or his stomach.

His family, though, _adored_ Rukia as if she had always been part of the family. Their adoration went as far as Isshin lovingly calling her his "third daughter", and the twins calling her "Rukia onee-chan." During the girl's first Saturday in Karakura, the family had organized a picnic in the local park, so Rukia wouldn't be left alone at her house ─her father had remained in Tokyo, and had left her with many servants to take care of her─, and then they had invited her over to a slumber party at their house. Ichigo had to admit that they he had had fun, even if Rukia had kicked his ass in all videogames they had played, and that she had stolen his pillow claiming it was more comfortable than the one she had been given. Ichigo knew she did it only to piss him off.

Ichigo's friends also adored Rukia. Since she didn't know anyone the first week, she had tagged along with Ichigo during recess. The boy always ate in the roof with Mizuiru, Keigo, and his best friend Sado Yasutora, best known as Chad. They were quiet a group, Ichigo was the hooligan, Keigo the pervert, Mizuiru the ladies' man, and Chad the gentle giant, for he was taller than any other guy in their class, and had a rather kind soul. Rukia's presence just added in the weirdness of the group, for now they had their own "princess", as Keigo had called her.

"Oh, Kuchiki-san, you're a sight for sore eyes!" Keigo exclaimed once during recess, when he arrived to the roof, and found Rukia already there, calmingly sipping her juice box.

"Shut it!" Ichigo, who had arrived just after Keigo, said as he punched him.

"Oh, Ichigo, you don't have to get jealous! If you want Kuchiki-san, you could've just said so!" The brown haired boy said naively, making Ichigo blush.

"Who says I'm jealous?!" He exclaimed, and angrily sat down, unknowingly next to Rukia. Mizuiru laughed in the background and even Chad cracked a smile.

And so their sunny days of high school life progressed peacefully.

* * *

A month went by in relative normalcy. Rukia was starting to adapt better to the class, and she was also beginning to hang out with the girls, although she still made it a point to sit with Ichigo and the rest during recess, thing which Keigo really appreciated, as he felt having Rukia in their small group gave them status. Ichigo felt that was ridiculous, but didn't bother share his thoughts about the subject. His relationship with Rukia was also getting better, although at a slow pace. They stopped fighting for every little thing, but they were known to bicker at least once every day. It was obvious that their personalities were meant to clash, seeing as they were equally stubborn and had quick tempers. In all this time, Byakuya had visited his daughter only twice, and Kaien had yet to appear back in town again, although he did call Isshin regularly.

Things changed in Rukia's and Ichigo's relationship one afternoon when they were doing homework in Ichigo's room.

"See? That's how you solve the problem!" Rukia said excitedly, as she showed Ichigo her notebook, where she had written a formula to solve a math problem.

"You could have just told me from the beginning, y'know?" Ichigo complained, as he copied it.

"I wanted to know how much you knew before explaining." She answered. "I should've known you were lost. You're really bad at math."

"Shut up! I'm just good in other subjects." He answered, feeling annoyed that Rukia had made fun of his difficulties in math.

"Like classic literature! You sure know about Shakespeare." Rukia said, unaware that that was a touchy subject with Ichigo.

"What? How do you know? Have you been spying on me?!" Ichigo said, quite annoyed.

"Relax, Ichigo. It's actually good that you have expertise in such a subject. All good nobles and intellectuals have read Shakespeare. I myself rather enjoy it. I own all of his collection, if you want to read it sometime." Rukia said, obviously trying to cheer Ichigo up, who was frowning at her.

"That doesn't make me feel any better." He still complained, while Rukia giggled.

Then, Ichigo's eyes fell on his digital watch, which marked the date June 16th. His gaze softened, but his frown deepened. "I see, so it's soon." He murmured, more to himself than to his companion.

"Ichigo? Why the long face?" Rukia questioned, noticing the change in Ichigo's mood.

"Nothing." He lied. "Hey, Rukia?"He called to her but his eyes never met hers.

"Yeah?"

"Tomorrow I won't be coming to school, and I guess dinner tomorrow will also be postponed. I hope it's not an inconvenience to you." He said.

"No, of course not."

"Good." Ichigo said, and then changed the subject. "So how do I solve the next problem?"

Once Rukia had left home for the evening, the Kurosaki family gathered in the kitchen, with Isshin standing up in front of them.

"And now I will open the meeting to decide tomorrow's duties! To be honest, since the chairman is dad, then dad has final say in everything!" He shouted rather energetically.

"Eh! What's with that?! That's not a meeting!" Karin complained, already dreading Isshin's usual shenanigans.

"Hey! Raise your hand before you speak, staff director!" The father scolded his daughter, who blushed.

"Staff director?" She mumbled as her eyes shone. That job wasn't so bad after all, when compared to other years.

"As usual, Yuzu is the lunch staff." Isshin continued giving orders.

"Okay!" Yuzu said, and gave her dad a thumbs up.

"Karin is the luggage carrier!" The oldest Kurosaki continued.

"What?!" Karin complained.

"Oh, daddy cut his hair for tomorrow. What do you guys think?" Isshin was sidetracked, as he admired his hair on the fridge.

"It looks the same!" Karin said, and another discussion ensued.

Ichigo watched them silently, glad that his family looked so excited even if the circumstances were difficult. The following day would mark the anniversary of his mother's death, and the family always spent the day at the tomb. No matter if they had school or job that day, they would skip it. It was a family event that they all took very seriously. The next morning, they walked the hill that led to the local cemetery where their mother was buried.

"This is such a tough hill." Yuzu complained, tired already.

"Really? It's nothing to me." Karin commented, as she walked ahead of her twin.

"Do your best, Yuzu! Don't give up, Yuzu! Daddy's with you!" Isshin yelled behind them, trying to encourage his youngest daughter. "Look! Hey! Look at daddy! He's climbing the hill while standing on his hands!" He continued shouting, as he did what he said and started climbing using his hands instead of his feet. Behind him, Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Ignore him, Yuzu. Encourage people like that and it will never end." Karin said, and Yuzu agreed.

"How naïve." Isshin murmured. "Even if you don't look, I still won't stop!" He exclaimed as he started running towards them.

"Run!" Karin warned her twin, but it was too late.

"Take that! Special daddy sliding technique!" He said, as he slid next to Yuzu, and with one hand, raised her dress. "Polka-dot panties!"

"Kyah!" Yuzu screamed.

"Scram to the ends of the Earth!" Karin shouted as she hit Isshin, resulting on the man falling from the hill.

"Huge plunge! Due to daddy's huge plunge, today's NASDAQ is in chaos!" The father yelled from the bottom of the hill.

"Start from the bottom, man!" Karin yelled back.

Ichigo ignored their antics. "Although it's June, it's so hot today." He muttered to himself. "Even though it's the same June 17th, it's a hell of a lot different…"

His gloomy thoughts were interrupted by his sisters. "Huh? There's someone there." Karin said.

"You're right." Yuzu agreed. "Is she visiting a grave too?"

"You think?"

Ichigo turned to look at the spot where Yuzu and Karin were looking, and there he saw a girl wearing a hat and a sundress.

"Ah, she's turning this way."

The girl turned, and took her hat, revealing that the girl was in fact Rukia. She waved at them using her hat.

"RUKIA?!" Ichigo screamed, taken aback by her sudden appearance.

"Rukia-nee, what are you doing here?" Yuzu questioned, as they approached the other girl.

Before Rukia could answer, Isshin ran all the way to the top of the hill. "I invited her, of course!" He exclaimed.

"Seriously?" Ichigo enquired.

"Well, Rukia-chan is family and this is a family event, so of course she had a right to be here, right Rukia-chan?" Isshin explained while the girl nodded.

"I'm honored that I was invited to take part in such an event. Thank you for taking me into account." Rukia said and then she bowed down.

"I'm glad Rukia-nee is here!" Yuzu cheered.

"Maybe with Rukia-nee here, dad will behave." Karin nodded approvingly.

"Anyway, let's go to mom's grave!" Isshin cheered, and starting leading the family towards the tomb.

Ichigo and Rukia followed quietly behind them, each deep in thought, until Rukia decided to break the silence.

"Why didn't you tell me it was your mother's death anniversary?" The girl asked.

"I didn't want to talk about it." Ichigo explained.

"Oh."

"So how much did dad tell you about it?" He asked.

"Not much. Just that it was your mother's anniversary, that you weren't going to school today, and that I was welcome to join you." She explained. "Since I've grown rather close to your family, I thought it'd be good if I came by and help you if needed, and to pay my respects to your mother."

Ichigo nodded in understanding. "That was nice of you." And then he grew quiet as they approached the grave.

Kurosaki Masaki's grave was just like any other in the cemetery. It was simple, it was made of white marble and had the inscription of Masaki's name engraved on it. The twins started paying their respects to their mother as they prayed, but as usual, Isshin started with his crazy antics.

"Hey, it's time for this year's annual 'ba-dum!" He said pretending to do a drumroll. "Kurosaki family's tombstone domino rally! A game that is a full two hours' worth of tomb-trashing action, where the winner can make the loser his dog for a whole week!" Isshin announced excitedly. "First match up is daddy vs Ichigo!"

Karin rolled her eyes, Ichigo stood in the middle alone, and Yuzu tried to stop her father. Rukia was very amused, and giggled behind her hand.

"Onii-chan, stop him!"

"Alright, let's go!" Isshin ignored them.

"Dad! If you do it, you won't get dinner!"

"What?" Isshin said, as the three left the site.

"Your family is rather energetic." Rukia told Ichigo.

"Yeah, well, dad's an idiot 24/7." He grumbled.

"It's nice… I mean, it's nice that the atmosphere is not gloomy or depressed. Your father really tries to make you smile even when you're in pain."

"Yeah, I guess he does." Ichigo scratched his cheek.

"May I?" Rukia gestured to the tomb, and the boy nodded.

"Go on."

The girl lit up the incense, as if she had done it countless of times before, and started praying, paying her respects to the woman buried there. She was silent for some minutes, and then she stood up and smiled at the boy.

"What did you tell her?" He asked curiously.

"Not much. Just that her only son is an idiot, but I'm going to straighten him up." The girl mocked him.

"Ha, ha. Very funny, Rukia."

She gently smiled at him. "I told her that she's lucky to have such a happy family, who still loves her very much."

Ichigo blushed at her words. "Yeah, well, we better find dad before he embarrasses us further."

And so they walked in silence through the graveyard, trying to find Ichigo's family, but to no avail. Eventually, it got cloudy, and soon it started raining.

"Shit, we better find cover." Ichigo said and led Rukia to a pavilion that was nearby. There, they took refuge as it kept raining.

Their hair and clothes were a little wet, but not enough to cling onto their bodies, and for that they were grateful. It would be annoying if they were stuck in the pavilion with wet clothes and even wetter hair. They sat down, and watched the downpour.

"I sure hope your family found cover too." Rukia muttered as she observed the rain. "This is so unexpected! It was sunny in the morning!" She kept complaining, while Ichigo remained silent.

"It was raining that day too." He simply said.

"Pardon?" Rukia turned to look at him, with a raised eyebrow.

"It was raining when my mother died." Ichigo said, and it felt like he was confessing a well-kept secret.

"Oh…"

"I guess that's why the accident happened." He surprised himself by saying this. Why was he telling Rukia about it? However, he kept going. "It was after judo practice, we were walking home and it was raining heavily. A girl yelled that her dog had run away, and I thought that I had seen it on the other side of the river bank. I liked to play hero when I was nine, so I ran towards the other side, without listening to my mother's warnings or looking at the road. Next thing I knew, I was on the river bank, and there was something on top of me. I looked closer and realized it was my mother. It seems that just when I decided to cross the street, a car was coming. My mother pushed me away, but got hit instead. It was fatal."

"Oh, Ichigo, I'm so, so sorry." The girl said, as she put a hand on the boy's shoulder, trying to comfort him.

"If only I had listened to her… well… I'm surprised my family doesn't hate me for it. It was my fault, after all."

"They would _never_ hate you. You know that, right?" Rukia said, and made Ichigo look at her in the eyes.

He gulped. "Yeah, I guess… What about you?" He asked.

Rukia blinked. "What about me?"

"Who did you lose?" He surprised her by asking this.

The girl shifted in her seat. "How did you know I lost someone?"

"You seemed like you have been at a graveyard before. You also knew what to do. Not everyone has that knowledge."

"Tch. Who would have known you were this perceptive?" Rukia shook her head amused, but was actually disguising her own grief. "It was my mother too."

It was Ichigo's turn to be surprised. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It wasn't anyone's fault, really. She was always a frail thing. Having me didn't help her health, but how could she have known?" Rukia said bitterly. "She passed away when I was four, so I don't really remember much about her, except that she was always sick and coughing. Once a year, my father and I visit her grave too. But it's nothing like this. My father doesn't say anything, and neither do I. We just watch her grave and pray, leave some flowers, and then we leave."

"It must have been hard, losing your mother so young, like Yuzu and Karin."

"It was. I wish I had had an older brother like you to help me. Since I look so much like my mother, I don't think my father has ever been able to look at me in the eye like he did before my mother died. He hasn't smiled since either." She sighed dejectedly. "What are the odds of both of us having lost our mothers?"

"Probably not many."

"Yeah, probably." And then they laughed, laughed to hide their grief, to keep the tears from falling down. They also felt comfortable in the shared pain, as if their souls had finally found someone who understood.

Then, the rain stopped and the stormy clouds vanished, making way to a few rays of light, which illuminated the scene.

"There you are!" Isshin shouted from a few feet away of the pavilion. "We were looking for you!"

Ichigo stood up, and held his hand to Rukia. "Well, let's go."

Rukia smiled, nodded, and took his hand.

* * *

"I'm so bored!" Rukia complained from his bed, while Ichigo sat on his chair doing homework.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Then do something."

"Like what?"

"Oh, I don't know, like homework?" The boy said ironically.

She huffed. "I finished it already."

"What? Seriously?" He asked incredulously.

She rolled her eyes too. "I'm not as slow as you."

"Hey!"

A few weeks had passed since Masaki's death anniversary, and after the little heart-to-heart they had, the two had grown closer, finally admitting they were friends. Spending time together was now as normal as breathing, and the two couldn't remember a time where they hadn't been together all day. Of course, that wasn't exactly true. Rukia had started hanging out more with the girls (Tatsuki and Orihime) than with Ichigo's group, although she still ate lunch with them every Thursday and Friday. But the afternoons were theirs to be together, mostly doing homework or playing videogames when they had free time. Ichigo's room had become Rukia's second home, and she often lay on his bed as if it were hers, ignoring Ichigo's complains. No one knew how close they actually were, but there had been speculation going around, and people often asked them if they were dating, to which they always vehemently denied. But other than that, they lived a rather carefree and normal high school life.

Before another argument could erupt, Isshin opened the door enthusiastically.

"Ichigo! Rukia-chan!" He shouted.

"What do you want, goat chin?" Ichigo grumbled.

"I'm gonna ignore your attitude just because I'm happy. Rukia-chan, Kaien has invited all of us to dinner tomorrow, so please bring spare clothes tomorrow so that you can change here, and then we'll go together to eat, alright?" Isshin said cheerfully.

Rukia's smile fell, thing only Ichigo noticed. "Oh…yeah, thanks for telling me Kurosaki-san."

Next day, Rukia was distracted during school and even on the way back. Ichigo thought this was odd, but decided not to ask her about it, feeling he'd be intruding on her private feelings. One thing he had learned about Rukia was that if something bothered her, he'd tell you on her own time, not before. So he let her be. At his house, Rukia went to the twins' room to get ready, leaving him alone in his own room.

"Kids, Kaien is here!" Isshin announced at around 6:45, and they all went downstairs.

Ichigo was surprised to see that Rukia hadn't changed into her usual colorful sundresses, but instead was wearing a tight purple skirt, and an elegant white silk blouse. Her hair was also styled in an up do, and she was wearing lip gloss, things which she never did. The only time Ichigo had seen her so dressed up was during her engagement party. He raised an eyebrow.

"How are you, guys?" Kaien greeted them at the door. He looked casual with only a pair of jeans and a blue dress shirt.

"Hi." Rukia greeted him rather timidly.

"Yo, Rukia, how's high school life going? Ichigo treating you well? He's been showing you around?" Kaien asked her, he was smiling, but it seemed a little strained.

"Yes, he has." The girl said, and Ichigo noticed her smile too was forced.

"Good, good. Shall we go?"

During dinner, Ichigo started realizing there was something funny in the way Kaien and Rukia acted around each other. He had never been in the same room as them for a prolonged period of time, but now that he was, he started noticing little things about them. He got that probably neither was too thrilled to have become engaged at such a young age, but there was something more to it than discomfort. They were friendly towards each other, and sometimes Kaien was even flirty, yet there was a wall between them. Rukia sometimes blushed when she was near him, or when Kaien patted her head, but her eyes looked dead, as they had during her engagement party. Now, Ichigo had seen Rukia make many expressions. He had seen her happy, angry, sad, hungry, surprised, bashful and more. He knew how she looked like when they were arguing, when she was doing her homework, speaking to friends, or when she was laughing. He had seen the faraway look in her eyes when she talked about her family or her former school. But this Rukia was a stranger to Ichigo. He knew that Rukia was no fragile doll, but the expression she had now reminded him of his first impression of her: a delicate, beautiful, and sad girl. He hated that.

Ichigo started wondering if Kaien had ever abused her. His cousin didn't look like the type to do so, but Ichigo was still suspicious of him. He decided that once they were alone, he would ask Rukia about it. He wanted to know if he could help her in any way possible. That opportunity didn't present itself until the next day, on the afternoon, when they were supposed to be doing homework, but both were far too distracted to work on their assignments.

"Rukia?" Ichigo suddenly called her. She was sitting on his bed, while he sat on the floor.

"Yeah?" She said, not moving from her spot.

"What was up with you and Kaien yesterday?"

That caught her attention. She sat up and looked towards Ichigo, who also had turned to look at her. "What do you mean?"

"You were acting weird. To begin with, you dressed up even though you never do." He accused her pointedly.

Rukia rolled her eyes. "I thought we might go to a fancy restaurant. My father always told me to dress elegantly, so I did." She explained and shrugged.

"You barely smiled yesterday."

"I was tired."

"You couldn't look at Kaien in the eyes."

She bit her lip. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"You always look at me in the eye, why is Kaien different?"

"Why do you care?" She snapped.

"Because I'm your friend, and yesterday you looked like you'd rather die than be there, and that freaked me out, okay?!" Ichigo exploded. He turned red from his uncontrolled anger, and breathed heavily.

Rukia started laughing.

"What is so funny?!" Ichigo yelled, feeling outraged.

"I just never thought you'd care so much, Ichigo. It's almost cute." She had the audacity to wink at him at the end of his speech.

"Whatever. Last time I ask if you're okay." He crossed his arms and pouted.

Rukia sighed in defeat. "You're right. I didn't want to go to dinner with Kaien-dono yesterday."

"Why? Do you hate Kaien?" Ichigo asked. "Did he do something to you?"

"No, I don't hate him, and no, he has never done anything to me." She chuckled.

"Oh." Ichigo absorbed this information. "Do you love him then?"

The girl turned bright red. "Of course not! What gave you that idea?"

"I don't know. I heard girls sometimes avoid the guys they like out of embarrassment." Ichigo shrugged.

"Well, I don't!"

"Okay. Fine. You don't love him, but you don't hate him either. So what's wrong?"

"Nothing! Kaien-dono is a great guy. I don't love him, but I admire him. But that's the thing, since I don't love him, I don't want to marry him. I don't want to marry anybody, actually. And every time someone asks me about the wedding, or I'm near Kaien-dono, I feel sick to my stomach, because I'll have to marry him one day, and I'll lose all my freedom." She wrapped her arms around her body, trying to protect herself. "They didn't even let me choose."

Rukia's speech reminded Ichigo of what his father had gone through. He decided then that he hated noble clans for what they did to people like Rukia or his father. They deprived them of the possibility of choosing how to live their lives. Ichigo didn't want to be a part of the clan if it meant renouncing to his individuality.

"Hey. Maybe it'll get better. At least Kaien will look after you." Ichigo said, trying to comfort her.

Rukia smiled. "Yeah, I guess." They briefly hugged, and then separated after an awkward pause.

Ichigo coughed. "So… since you don't love Kaien, do you have a crush on someone?" The boy asked.

"What?! No!" The girl said, still blushing. "Do _you_ have a crush on someone?"

"No!" Ichigo shouted as loud as Rukia had.

"Then don't ask, Ichigo." Rukia said and threw a pillow at him.

"Hey!"

* * *

Summer break was finally here, which meant that Ichigo was free from school. But that also meant he had to be with Rukia more often now, and basically become a slave to her every whim. The young Kuchiki heiress stayed at the Kurosaki's all day, and only returned home after dinner every night. Occasionally, they would go out with friends, to summer festivals and the like, joining the group of boys with the group of girls. Keigo was ecstatic with this situation, claiming that either Kuchiki-san or Inoue-san would fall in love with him by the end of summer. It was good that Tatsuki often kept him in line. Another memeber had recently joined this strange group: Ishida Uryū, the guy with the highest grades of the class, just a point behind Rukia. They met him because he and Ichigo had been paired up for a project, which eventually led to the two of them becoming rivals, and ironically Ishida had also declared himself Rukia's rival due to their grades. However, they soon found out they were cousins from Ichigo's mother's side, and their fathers suggested they should hang out together. This led to them being in the same group of friends, although Ishida accepted begrudgingly. So Ichigo had spent the first two weeks of summer going to festivals with his friends, cleaning the house, trying to complete his summer homework, and, of course, getting annoyed by Rukia, who insisted on finding new things to do every single day. Fun. _Not_.

On Monday of the third week of summer was one of those days in which Rukia would arrive way too early to bother Ichigo. She had spent about an hour already trying to get him out of the house, but to no avail. That Monday Ichigo was being especially stubborn, partly because he didn't want to go outside, and partly because he wanted to mess with Rukia. It was working.

"I-chi- _go_." The girl whined to make her friend pay her attention, but the boy refused to do so.

"I already told you no is no, Rukia." Ichigo said without turning from his desk, where he attempted to work on his homework.

Said girl pouted. "And I already told you I can help you with your homework."

"I don't want your help." He said, and then the girl peaked from over his shoulder to look at his homework.

"Are you _sure_?" She asked. "Because problem number three is wrong." She added, and smirked diabolically at the boy.

Ichigo had had enough. "Gah! That's it! Get outta my room!" He yelled and tried to drag Rukia out of his bedroom. The girl, though much shorter than him, put up a good fight as she struggled against him.

"Let go!" She shouted, as she kicked him on his legs.

"No, you stop that!"

"No, _you_ stop!"

Their fight was interrupted by the sound of Rukia's cellphone ringing. Ichigo let her go, so that she could answer the call. When Ichigo saw Rukia's expression at seeing the caller's ID, he knew only one person had that effect on her: her father.

"Otou-sama." She said as stoically as she could muster, her Kuchiki mask, as Ichigo often called it, slipping in. "Yes." She paused. "Yes. It is fine by me." She listened intently to whatever was said to her. "Yes. I will see you there. Goodbye." Rukia remained observing her cell phone, without saying anything.

"So, what did he want?" Ichigo asked, trying to appear nonchalant but was internally curious about the conversation.

Rukia sighed loudly. "He wants us to have dinner with him on Friday."

Ichigo sighed in relief. So it wasn't something bad, he wasn't trying to get Rukia to come back to Tokyo or anything. All was good.

Wait… _What?_

"What?!"

Summer was turning out to be quite eventful.

Friday evening arrived sooner than Ichigo would have liked, and he found himself in his father's room, wearing a very uncomfortable suit from Isshin's younger days. His father watched him attentively, going around circles, and inspecting every tiny detail in the boy's attire.

"Hmm." Isshin murmured as he looked at Ichigo's arms. "Hmm." He added, as he inspected him from behind.

"What?" Ichigo said, already annoyed and it wasn't seven yet.

"You clean up rather nicely, son. Too bad your hair is an annoying shade of orange. But there's nothing we can possibly do about that." The man said matter-of-factly. Then he put his arms up when he saw the murderous glint on the boy's eyes. "I'm kidding! I'm kidding! Jeez, Ichigo, you should learn to have a sense of humor."

"Well?" He raised his eyebrow.

"Oh, right! Well, you look decent enough for Kuchiki Byakuya's standards, so I don't think he will complain about your clothes. It's your general attitude and manners which should worry you."

"I just know this is going to be a disaster." Ichigo declared. "I don't even know why he wants to have dinner with _me_. One would think he'd want to spend time alone with his only daughter." He grumbled, as he tried to comb his wild hair to no avail.

Isshin chuckled. "It might not appear as such, but Byakuya-kun has terrible social skills."

"No shit."

"And from what I have observed, he's very awkward when trying to communicate with Rukia-chan, so he probably thought having a friend dare would help Rukia-chan open up to him."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "Do you really think my presence will help?"

"Maybe. It can't possibly make it worse."

"Let's hope so."

Just then, someone rang the bell, and Yuzu called them. "Onii-chan, Kuchiki-san and Rukia-nee are here!"

Ichigo walked downstairs, and on the doorway stood Rukia, wearing a simple but elegant purple dress, which fit every curve on her body perfectly. She was wearing black pumps, makeup, and her hair was braided. Her appearance stunned Ichigo for a moment. Although he knew she was good looking, a fact that Keigo often reminded him about, it was different seeing her so dressed up. Then their eyes met and the boy felt something pulling him towards her, like a magnetic attraction.

"Good afternoon." And the moment was ruined by Kuchiki Byakuya, standing next to his daughter in an expensive-looking suit, and a tie matching the girl's dress.

"Good afternoon." Ichigo greeted as politely as he could, his eyes straying towards Rukia, who waved a little at him.

"Oh, Byakuya-kun, good afternoon!" Isshin exclaimed, and went to shake the other man's hand rather energetically. Ichigo could feel Byakuya getting annoyed from where he was standing.

"Shiba Isshin." He greeted without any perceivable emotion, but he boy had a feeling he was actually very annoyed. He couldn't blame him, though. His father had that effect on people.

"My, Rukia-chan, you look beautiful tonight!" The oldest Kurosaki said turning to the girl, who blushed at the compliment.

"Thank you, Kurosaki-san."

"The car is waiting outside." Byakuya interrupted them. "I will bring your son back at ten o' clock sharp."

Isshin laughed. "Ah, don't worry about that. Sons are different than daughters. It doesn't matter if he comes back on time, or comes back at all. Let him walk back if he wants!"

Ichigo whispered a harsh "Hey!" His father was truly an idiot.

"Very well." Byakuya simply said, and motioned for Ichigo and Rukia to follow him.

"Goodnight Kurosaki-san, Karin, Yuzu." Rukia said goodbye.

"Goodnight, Rukia-chan!"

"See you guys later." Ichigo said, and waved goodbye, before closing the door behind him.

The ride to the restaurant was excruciatingly uncomfortable. The only sound that could be heard was coming from the car's speakers, jazzy songs which tried to make up for the lack of conversation. Byakuya was looking out of the window, Rukia was playing with her hands in act Ichigo recognized as nervousness, and he passed the time by observing both Kuchikis, or by looking through the window. He soon realized they were driving to the farthest side of town, were most of the fancy restaurants and malls were. Byakuya seemed to be going all out tonight. As expected of a noble. Soon they arrived to the fanciest restaurant Ichigo had ever seen. It was constructed with what Ichigo could only describe as European architecture, and had many limos parked outside.

The doors soon opened, and the driver helped Rukia out of the car, while Ichigo and Byakuya exited. They walked together to the entrance, Ichigo and Rukia behind Byakuya. Once inside, other guests parted ways to let the great Head of the Kuchiki Clan pass. It seems he was very famous, for everyone recognized him.

The maître d' rushed to meet them. "Kuchiki-sama, it is a pleasure to have you here!" He exclaimed and bowed.

"It is good to be back." Byakuya said.

"This way, please." The maître d' guided them personally to their table, which was situated in the farthest part of the restaurant, probably to give them some privacy.

"Would you want wine, Kuchiki-sama?" The maître d' asked.

"No, my guests are both underage. I will have _matcha_ tea please."

"Of course, of course." The man said, as he wrote Byakuya's order. "For you, ojou-sama?" He then turned to Rukia.

"Just a lemonade, please." She said shyly.

The man smiled. "And for you, young man?" He turned to Ichigo.

"Soda, please." He said simply.

"Very well. I will bring you your drinks soon, and here is the menu." He said, gave them their menus, and left them.

The three took their time looking at the menu. Truth be told, Ichigo could barely understand most of it, since it was in English, and some dishes were written in what he guessed was French. He felt terribly awkward, and wished he could ask Rukia without looking inadequate in front of her father. The prices had also astounded the boy, who had probably never spent at much in his entire life. He realized this is part of the life he would have had, had his father remained Head.

"I heard that the Fettuccine Alfredo is very good in this place." Rukia commented casually, but winked at Ichigo. He smiled gratefully at her.

"Yes, indeed, Rukia. Excellent choice. I will have the Chef's Honey-glazed Salmon. What about you, Kurosaki-kun?"

Ichigo was surprised he had been included in the conversation. "Ah, the fettuccine sounds good to me too."

Byakuya nodded. "Very well."

The maître d' returned with their drinks, and they ordered their food. Once the man was gone, the three were left in silence again.

"So how are you doing in school, Rukia?" Byakuya asked.

"Very well, father."

"And your grades?"

"Still high."

Ichigo felt that he should say something to help his friend out. "Actually, Rukia's grades are the highest in the whole school." He commented, and he watched as Byakuya nodded approvingly.

"I am glad that you have remembered to study amidst the fun."

"Yes, father."

"Have you treated the Kurosakis nicely?"

"Yes."

"She's very kind. She often helps my sisters with their homework, and helps with the dishes after dinner." Ichigo added. Rukia kept smiling sweetly at him for his help.

"Helping others is a good way to repay favors. I am glad you keep your manners even when I am far away."

The conversation then flowed towards other matters. Rukia asked him about his business in the family company, and Byakuya went on to describe his new dealings and the difficulties which had arose, and how he had solved them. Ichigo discovered that Byakuya actually had a lot of responsibilities, not only with the clan but at work. He wondered if Kaien faced something similar in his daily life, and if that was the reason why he couldn't visit them very often.

The food arrived and they ate in peaceful silence, in comparison to how the evening had first started. Ichigo thought that his father had been right, maybe Byakuya needed someone to help him communicate with his daughter. Maybe with all the things he had to, plus his grief over losing his wife, had impaired him to know how to socialize with his own daughter. Perhaps with Ichigo's help, he could manage to start a good relationship with Rukia.

After they had ordered dessert, Byakuya renewed their conversation.

"Kurosaki-kun." Byakuya called him, which surprised Ichigo.

"Yes?"

"How is your school life going?"

"Um, it's going good. Thank you for asking."

"Are your grades good?" He asked.

"They're not as high as Rukia's, but they are above average." He said, and faked a smile. The boy had a feeling he was about to be judged.

"I assume it is difficult to study when you get into as many fights as you do." Byakuya stated, and Ichigo now knew his true purpose.

" _Father_." Rukia said harshly.

"No, it is fine, Rukia." Ichigo said. "Actually it's tough to even arrive home, when people pick fights with me over the color of my hair. They don't realize I was born with it. I'm not a member of any gang or anything." The boy explained himself as best as he could.

"So it is natural." The older man said out loud, as if taking note of that.

"Yes, it is. I inherited it from my mother's side."

"But Ichigo hasn't gotten into a lot of fights since I moved here. Mostly guys yell at him on the streets, but Ichigo ignores them and keeps walking." Rukia defended him, and for that Ichigo was grateful.

"I see. I am glad to know you behave when in my daughter's company."

That sounded as a warning to Ichigo. "I'd never put Rukia in harm's way. _Never_."

Byakuya nodded. "So what are you planning to study after high school? I assume you are going to university."

"Excuse me? I… I haven't thought about it yet." Ichigo frowned.

"Well, you should start thinking about it soon. I presume your father does not make a lot of money, so that lowers your possibilities. If you want to study in an important university, you would need to get a scholarship, but with your grades it seems unlikely you can. Unless, of course, you take the Shiba name. The clan would most likely pay for your education, and you would have nothing to worry about in that aspect."

Ah. So there it was. Ichigo understood perfectly. Kuchiki Byakuya didn't actually care for his future or for his education, he cared about his status. Currently, Ichigo was a nobody. A normal boy, living a normal life. But if he took the Shiba name, which was always his destiny, he wouldn't be just anyone, he'd be the grandson and nephew of the previous heads, the first cousin of the current head. He would be a noble with a high status, no matter who his mother had been. And then he'd be fit to be called Kuchiki Rukia's, heiress of the Kuchiki Clan, friend. He'd be fit to be called her cousin-in-law. His company wouldn't be a stain in Rukia's reputation.

"I'm sorry, but I have no intention of taking _that_ name." Ichigo spoke harshly. He didn't want to play Byakuya's game any longer.

"You should at least think about it. The connections that come with the Shiba name are great, as well as the opportunities that you would have. Do not reject a part of yourself, Kurosaki Ichigo." Byakuya cautioned. It felt more like a warning.

"Father, I do not think this is an appropriate conversation for dinner." Rukia hissed.

"You are right Rukia."

Needless to say, they ate their dessert in silence after that, and the journey to Ichigo's house was equally as silent. Ichigo was internally fuming, but tried to appear relaxed for Rukia's sake. He had been insulted in several different ways, and made uncomfortable under Byakuya's scrutiny. He hadn't been deemed unfit to be Rukia's friend. His only consolation was that, no matter what, he and Rukia would still be related the moment she married Kaien. Ichigo would always be Kaien's cousin, and their families had renewed their ties. Ichigo would attend their wedding and family matters. Byakuya would never escape Ichigo, and he rejoiced in that fact.

When he arrived home, at ten o' clock as had been promised, he evaded Isshin's questions claiming he was tired, and went up to his room. There, he punched the wall, finally able to let out all of his anger. How dare Kuchiki Byakuya treat Rukia and him like that! Who did he think he was? Just because he was a noble didn't mean that he got to disrespect everyone. As he breathed heavily in his fuming, he received a text. Opening it up, he realized it came from Rukia.

 _I'm sorry._ It said simply but conveyed much more. Ichigo smiled. He could take on Byakuya any day if it was for Rukia. She was his best friend after all.

* * *

 **A/N:** I added some of my favorite scenes of early Bleach. Man, I miss those days, when the quality was still good. Anyway, in my humble opinion, the turning point of Ichigo and Rukia's relationship was in Memories in The Rain, when they bond over Masaki's death. I think they would've bonded further if Rukia had shared what happened with Kaien, not that it matters anymore. Since Kaien is alive and kicking here, I added Hisana instead, who's still dead here because there's no way she'd let Byakuya marry off their daughter. Also, I love writing Byakuya even when I turn him into an asshole. Next chapter, the plot thickens.


	3. Interlude

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach. It is property of Tite Kubo.

 **Author's Note:** I still can't believe the response I've gotten with this fanfic. Thank you very much! You guys are the reason I still write for IchiRuki. I also saw many of you having theories about Kaien's and Byakuya's motivations. I'm going to be honest and say that, since this fanfiction wasn't supposed to be long to begin with, I didn't dwell too much into them, and most of their intentions are implied. I probably should rewrite this fanfic and explore it a bit more as I had originally intended when it was still called "Breaking The Habit", but that might have to wait a bit. Right now I'm centered in finishing my other fanfiction.

I'm also sorry for taking so long to publish the next chapter. I've been tired lately. Working is tiring, specially when dealing with so much bullshit. But, here it is! As I promised, this is where the action starts. Prepare yourselves for teen drama and angst. On an unrelated note, I just finished binge watching 13 reasons why. I highly recommend it, but beware if you have depression or are feeling suicidal. It can trigger you. But the soundtrack is hella good! I recommend listening to Vance Joy's "Mess is Mine" if you want to re-read the previous chapter and during this chapter too.

Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well. See you!

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Guest:** I made myself nostalgic too. I miss those early days. Thanks for the review! And yes, things will improve.

 **lightdesired:** Thanks!

 **Loli-chan:** Here's the next chapter! Thanks for the review! And IchiRuki is more alive than ever!

* * *

 _Interlude_

Christmas was approaching, and with it the end of the year. Ichigo pondered about this starting the month of December. A lot had changed in just a couple of months. He had become a high school student, he had discovered his father was actually a noble, he had met his cousins on his father's side, he had found out his only cousin on his mother's side was his classmate and had ended up befriending him, his group of friends had expanded, and most importantly, he had met, fought, and eventually befriended Kuchiki Rukia, his cousin's fiancée.

Rukia's appearance in his life had changed everything he had grown used to. His afternoons were not his any longer, for they were shared now by doing homework with Rukia, or playing videogames with her, and sometimes even in shenanigans, which included random outings to the mall, playing baseball at the local park, visiting pet stores so she could pet the rabbits, and more. Ichigo also had more friends thanks to her, and even discovered more things about nobles because of her father, Byakuya, and his cousin, Kaien, regularly visiting them.

Rukia had also become his best friend in a short amount of time. He shared everything with her. Not that he had to, she could read him like an open book. He too had the same ability with her. Ichigo couldn't imagine his life without Rukia's constant presence anymore, whether it'd be at school or at his house. Deep down, he knew that after high school things would eventually change. They would have to go their separate ways. Rukia would have to get married to Kaien. Ichigo would probably go to college. Their carefree days filled with youthful happiness would be gone. However, they still had two years left to enjoy. Why worry about the future? Little did he know that things between them would change sooner rather than later.

It was a week and half before Christmas, and the excitement could be felt in the air. A lot of people were already making plans to spend the holiday together. Couples were gushing about going out on romantic dates on Christmas Eve, those with crushes were planning to confess, some classes were planning big parties at karaoke places, and some others were going Christmas shopping together. Ichigo's group of friends was as excited as the rest.

"We should have a party!" Keigo suggested during recess. "And plan a Secret Santa Exchange!"

"Not a bad idea, Asano." Tatsuki mulled over his words. "It'd be a good way to become closer as friends. What do you think, Orihime?" She asked her best friend, who got flustered at the attention.

"Who, me?" The girl with orange hair spluttered. Then, she composed herself and stuttered. "I… I suppose it'd be fun to spend more time together!"

"As remarkable an idea as it is," Ishida spoke, pushing his glasses up, "we need to plan the logistics to make it possible."

"Good point, Ishida!" Keigo said. "I know just the place! Ichigo, lend us your house for our party!" He exclaimed.

"Pass." Ichigo said without any interest whatsoever, as he calmly sipped his juice box.

"What? Why?" Keigo whined. "I beg of you!"

"Asano-san, please stop bothering Ichigo, or else he'll hit you." Mizuiro said, never taking his eyes off of his cell phone.

"Mizuiro, don't be so cold to me!"

"Erm,.. Excuse me…" Rukia said. Her cheeks were flushed, and her brow was furrowed in concentration. "I can host the party in my house."

They all turned to look at her in surprise.

"Oh, Kuchiki-san, what did we do to deserve you!" Keigo exclaimed as he tried to hug Rukia, but Ichigo punched him in the face, and Tatsuki kicked his stomach before he could.

"Are you sure your father will let you?" Ichigo wondered out loud.

"He's going to be at Osaka during the holidays, so I don't think he'll care." Rukia shrugged.

"Then, shall we get started with the Secret Santa?" Chad, who all this time had written their names on strips of papers, raised his hands, were the strips had already been folded.

It was decided that Ishida and Orihime were in charge of the decorations, Tatsuki would bring snacks, Ichigo the drinks, Mizuiru would be the DJ for the night, Chad would prepare the food, Keigo costumes, and Rukia told them she'd prepare her karaoke machine. The excitement was high, especially when taking into consideration this was the group's first party. The Secret Santa Exchange was another thing that got them excited. Spending Christmas with friends was a high school thing to do, which would only bring them closer.

Ichigo was as happy as his friends, although he wasn't actively showing it. He was excited because he had gotten Rukia as his Secret Santa, and he knew just what to give to her. As much as he hated the badly drawn rabbit she adored, he'd buy her the Chappy the Rabbit Deluxe Necklace he had seen her eyeing the last time they had been at the Chappy Store. He knew Rukia was going to love it. With that thought, he carried on with his days. However, his high spirits only lasted until the next day.

He and Rukia were walking towards the exit of the school as always, when she stopped him. "Hey, Ichigo."

"Yeah?"

"I'm not walking home with you today."

That surprised him. "Why not?"

"Because Kaien-dono's picking me up." Just then, a motorcycle parked in front of the entrance and in it was Shiba Kaien, wearing a leather jacket and a helmet. He attracted a large crowd, who wondered what such a handsome man was doing there.

"Yo, Rukia!" He shouted and waved with a helmet in hand.

"See you later, Ichigo." Rukia said, walked towards the exit, hopped on Kaien's motorcycle, and put on the black helmet he was giving to her. They sped up, not noticing the eyes following them. Rumors sure were about to start.

Ichigo was left fuming. Why hadn't Rukia told him about it this morning? Why did Kaien need to pick up Rukia today? Why did he have to make a grand entrance? Why did he come in a motorcycle? Rukia could get hurt! And most importantly, why wasn't he invited as well? Was this a date? That better _not_ be a date! He scowled at the retreating couple, feeling his nostrils flare up.

"You seem jealous, Kurosaki." Ishida said, appearing next to him.

"I'm not jealous!" He exclaimed defensively.

"Oh really? Then why are you making such an ugly face." The raven haired boy remarked.

"Shut up, Ishida."

"Who was that man with Kuchiki-san, anyway?" Ishida then asked.

"It's none of your business."

"Is he her boyfriend?"

"Why do _you_ care?" Ichigo snapped to Ishida's amusement.

"I don't. You just seem to know him, and I got curious, that's all."

"Hmm." Ichigo harrumphed.

"You know, you should learn to be honest with yourself, Kurosaki, or you might lose Kuchiki-san for good." Ishida said and then left him alone.

"I'm not jealous." Ichigo muttered to himself, and walked home by himself for the first time in months.

However, as much as he tried to hide it, he was annoyed and spent the rest of the day in a bad mood. He tried to deny Ishida's remarks, but the more he tried to forget all about it, the more that images of Rukia kissing Kaien appeared in his mind, and the angrier he got. Okay, maybe he _was_ jealous, but that didn't make any sense, he'd need to have feelings for Rukia if he were.

"Oh shit." Ichigo exclaimed. His feelings were starting to become clear.

* * *

Rukia was on cloud nine. Her high school dreams were finally coming true. This was the first year that she would be spending Christmas with friends, instead of alone. _Friends_. She never thought that she'd have more than _one_ friend, let alone seven of them! She was truly lucky. She had Ichigo to thank for that. He had included her in his group of friends, which resulted in her making new friends. This would have been impossible if she had been left by herself. Rukia was actually rather shy in new environments, and she never had had any friends in her previous school. The snobs always talked behind her back for having a mother who wasn't a noble. The pricks! But now things were different. Although her new friends, minus Ichigo, didn't know she would get married at the end of high school, they knew she was a noble and accepted her. They never judged her. Ichigo, who knew everything about her situation, didn't judge her either. He actually helped her a lot in everything. She was blessed. She finally felt at home.

Speaking of Ichigo, in an interesting turn of events, she had gotten him for the Secret Santa Exchange. It would've proved difficult to buy his gift with the amount of time they passed together. That is why she had called Kaien to pick her up from school, and take her to buy Ichigo's gift as well as others she planned to buy for the rest of the Kurosaki family. Kaien had been happy to help, and had decided to buy gifts for his extended family as well, with Rukia's help. The afternoon had gone extremely well, and Rukia had been able to find all of Shakespeare's works translated into Japanese, with a beautiful hardcover. She only hoped he'd like it.

Next day, Rukia had awaken feeling extremely delighted with life, and felt more positive than ever before. She walked to school skipping once or twice out of sheer happiness. She really thought this joy would last her even up until the next year, which she hoped was just as amazing. Sadly, it lasted until that morning, when she entered the girls' restroom. Rukia had only intended to do her business and get out, but was stopped short in her stall as Tatsuki and Orihime went in and started talking.

"So are you going to confess to Ichigo on Christmas or not?" Tatsuki asked her, possibly believing they were alone.

"Oh, I don't know, Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime said, her cheeks probably were red. "I'm too embarrassed!"

"You should tell him as soon as possible, Orihime." The other girl advised. Arisawa had a feeling that Ichigo's feelings were starting to change in favor of a certain friend of theirs, but decided she wouldn't tell Orihime about it, for fear of hurting her.

"I know, I know. I just stutter every time I'm near him, and I fear I won't be able to get my point across." The beauty said dejectedly.

"He's oblivious but not _that_ dumb." Tatsuki reasoned.

"Hey, maybe I will on Christmas! Or maybe not! But regardless, I promise you, Tatsuki-chan, that I will confess soon." The girl chirped happily, with the tone of voice only a woman in love can have.

"I hope so, Orihime." Tatsuki said, and then they both left the restroom.

Rukia stood there, wide eyed, and unbelieving of what she had just heard. She should feel happy for her friends. Orihime was a nice girl, and certainly out of Ichigo's league, but she could make him happy, and Ichigo could make her happy in return. They would make a cute couple, there was no doubt of that. Orihime would be good to Ichigo, but then why did she feel as if she had been punched in the gut? Why was she about to cry? It didn't make any sense. None at all. Unless…

"No way." Rukia's feelings were starting to become obvious to her.

* * *

Ichigo and Rukia had been in a crappy mood all day. Every little thing the other said made them snap and start bickering with each other. It could be about homework, a pencil, or even lunch, but they somehow found a way to fight about everything they could think of. Their friends watched them in apprehension, having forgotten what it was like at the beginning of Rukia's arrival, when the two often fought. Still, it felt different, as if they had a lot of pent up frustration and they were looking to let it out.

Ishida immediately realized it had to be about their newfound feelings for each other. That frustration was of a _sexual_ nature, and one day they would burst and follow their instincts. He just prayed it wasn't during school hours, or somewhere he was at. He didn't want to see them passionately make out.

Chad, who knew Ichigo more than anyone else in the group, too realized the two were so pissed off at each other due to their unresolved feelings for each other. Chad, who was often on the bleachers, observing quietly, had known for a while the two were destined to fall in love. He was their secret shipper, and had waited for months for any type of advance in their relationship. As opposed to Ishida, he _hoped_ he was in the vicinity whenever the two decided to kiss.

The rest were oblivious to the reason of their discomfort. They knew something might have happened to make them so angry at each other. But they couldn't find a reason for it. They figured that the best course of action was to let them be, and hope they wouldn't end up killing each other by the end of the day.

Things, of course, didn't get better at the end of the day. By the time they were supposed to do homework in Ichigo's room, they were full on bickering. The argument didn't make sense anymore, and they were just saying the first thing that came to mind, looking for ways to bother each other.

"What's your fucking problem, Ichigo?!" Rukia finally exclaimed. She didn't curse often, and when she did it was because she was seriously mad.

"You! You're the problem!" Ichigo admitted, as he yelled and pointed at her.

"The hell did I do?!" She exclaimed.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going out with Kaien?!"

"I told you!"

"Not before the end of school! And why did you two do anyway?!"

"That's none of your business, Ichigo!"

"It _is_ my business! We're supposed to walk home _together_!"

"If you need someone to walk home with, why don't you walk with _Inoue_?!"

"What does Inoue have to do with anything?!"

"I don't know! Ask yourself that!"

As they fought, they started getting progressively closer to each other, until their mouths were almost touching. Of course, in their anger, they didn't notice at all.

"I hate you." Rukia hissed.

"Hate you too." Ichigo replied, and then in a moment of impulsiveness, he leaned down and smashed their lips together. Rukia immediately responded by grabbing the back of Ichigo's head, and pulling him closer to her.

It wasn't a sweet kiss, it was raw and passionate, full of all their pent up frustrations. It was honest too. It said everything they weren't brave enough to say out loud. It screamed the reality they were in. They had fallen in love unknowingly, and neither knew what to do.

They broke the kiss to breathe, and let the truth sink in.

"Fuck." Ichigo muttered, his cheeks burning in embarrassment.

"What are we going to do?" Rukia wondered. Ichigo had no idea.

* * *

The week before Christmas was tense. Something had changed in Ichigo and Rukia's relationship, but no one knew for sure what had happened. When asked, both denied anything was wrong, but no one, from their friends to the Kurosakis, believed them. Ishida, keen as he was, guessed they might have found out about their feelings already, but for a reason unknown to Ishida, they hadn't been able to take the next step. He figured they needed time, and it was best to let them be until they decided what to do.

As for Ichigo and Rukia, things were slowly spiraling out of control. After their impulsive kiss, two freak outs, more yelling, and a second kiss, they had finally managed to talk about their situation at hand, but to be honest, they hadn't solved anything at all.

"I think it's obvious what's going on." Rukia had muttered after their second kiss. They were both sitting on Ichigo's bed, their knees almost touching.

"Yeah." Ichigo replied, still in a daze because of the current state of their relationship.

"I think I like you." Rukia confessed, her cheeks flushed an adorable shade of red.

"I think I like you too." Ichigo said, his cheeks matching Rukia's.

"But it's wrong." The girl said, suddenly feeling sad.

"Definitely." The boy supplied unhelpfully.

"I'm gonna marry Kaien-dono."

"My cousin."

"Your cousin."

"Maybe it's because we spend too much time together." Ichigo said.

"It's possible. Perhaps we like each other simply because we're familiar with each other. It might be nothing more than a crush. It will go away soon." The girl tried to find a logical reason, but felt that with each word she said, she was only lying to herself and Ichigo.

The boy seemed to ponder for a moment. "Maybe." _Or maybe not._ He thought internally. "So what should we do?"

"We can pretend _it_ never happened, until we're over this crush." Rukia said after a few moments of consideration. That was the only thing they could do, after all. It didn't matter if they liked each other now, their reality was that Rukia was still engaged to Kaien, and would have to marry him at the end of high school.

"Is that what you want?" Ichigo then asked, testing the ground. He had another idea in mind, but didn't want to share it if it went against Rukia's wishes. He had it bad.

"Yes." _No._

"Then that's what we'll do."

So far they had failed miserably at it. They were so tense and awkward around each other that everyone, even their homeroom teacher, had noticed. Even worse, they couldn't stop thinking about the two kisses they had shared. They could still feel and taste the other's lips against their own. The spark they had felt had haunted their dreams ever since. It was also difficult to stop touching each other altogether. Before this incident, it had been so easy to touch each other, from hitting, poking, to the occasional hand holding and petting, they were used to being on each other's personal space. But now, they had to forfeit that kind of interaction, possibly forever. Joy. And whenever they _did_ touch each other on accident, they pulled away as if the contact had burned them. At this rate, they would stop being friends, and that was something neither wanted.

The no touching policy came to an abrupt end one afternoon when they were doing homework. Ichigo was working on his desk, while Rukia was sitting on the floor, both avoiding the bed like the plague. They had been silent all afternoon, in fact they had been silent around each other ever since they had agreed on moving on. It was beyond uncomfortable, and each tried to think of conversations but to no avail. That's why it surprised Rukia when that afternoon Ichigo called to her.

"Hey, Rukia." He suddenly said, not really turning to look at her.

"Yeah?"

"Have you solved problem 10 already?"

Oh, so he wanted help in his homework. And here she thought maybe he wanted to talk to her. "Yeah, why?"

"Can you help me? I'm having trouble with it."

Rukia stood up and walked towards Ichigo. She sat on the bed to have a better view of the page. "I see the problem. You're using the wrong formula." Then she proceeded to explain to him step by step the process.

"Like this?"

"No, that one's negative!"

"Oh, so like this?"

"No, you idiot!" Rukia got exasperated because he was doing it all wrong, and tried to take his pencil.

"Hey, don't touch it!" Ichigo yelled, and pulled his hand away from her.

"I need it to show you how!"

"If you do it for me, I'm never gonna learn!"

"Then start doing it right!"

They seemed to be playing tug of war with the pencil. The fight had escalated to them standing up and fighting for said pencil, until Ichigo tugged too hard, and sent Rukia flying directly towards his chest, which in turn made him lose balance, and they fell down hard on the floor. They remained still for a moment, both trying to comprehend what had happened, and then they started laughing. So much for not touching each other, and now they literally were over each other.

"I guess we didn't need to try so hard." Rukia mentioned between laughs.

"Yeah, guess so."

"We're going to be alright." Rukia said, and Ichigo smiled.

* * *

"Whoa, it's huge!" Orihime exclaimed as the small group arrived at the Kuchiki's summer house, which actually looked like a mansion for its enormity.

"Kuchiki sure is loaded." Tatsuki commented, as she whistled.

"Kuchiki-san's beautiful, smart and _rich_. She's the whole package!" Keigo exclaimed, his eyes turning into hearts. Ichigo punched him.

"Whatever. We should ring the bell." He said, and then rang.

Instantly, a butler opened the door. "Kurosaki-sama, you're back! And I see you've brought the guests with you. Please come on in!"

Ichigo wasn't surprised at the mansion's grandeur, for he had visited countless of times already. He just nodded to the man, and went in as if he were in his own house. The others followed him in awe, except for Ishida, who remained stoic. The butler led them to the playroom, where the party was to be held. Inside they saw the pool table had been moved, and in the center there was a professional looking karaoke equipment, a DJ stand, and chairs and couches surrounding it. Rukia was in the middle of the room, dressed with a Santa outfit.

"Welcome!" She greeted them.

"Kuchiki-san, your house is so beautiful!" Orihime said, and soon all joined in the conversation.

Together they decorated the room with the stuff Ishida and Orihime had made in their sewing club. Then they set the food on a table Rukia had put near the couches. Chad had prepared some Mexican Christmas recipes, Ichigo had brought a wide variety of sodas, Tatsuki had brought nachos and cheese, Mizuiru took out his CD's with the music he had selected for the day, and Keigo took out the hats he had brought, and apparently made by himself, which were typical Santa hats and one reindeer hat, which he put on Ichigo.

They had fun, more than they ever expected to have. They played videogames, ate a lot, and eventually started singing in the karaoke. Ishida surprised everyone by actually being a karaoke fan, and knowing a wide array of songs. Chad was another one who surprised everyone with his rap abilities. Keigo sang two love songs, one for Orihime and the other for Rukia. The girls sang in trio. Keigo somehow convinced Ichigo and Ishida to sing a duet. And Mizuiru was the one with the greatest voice in the room.

Once they had eaten and played, it was time for the Secret Santa Exchange.

"I'll go first!" Keigo exclaimed, stood up, grabbed his gift bag, and handed it to Orihime. "For you, Inoue-san!"

"Why, thank you, Asano-kun!"

From then on, the game progressed until only Rukia and Ichigo were left.

"Well, it seems they got each other." Ishida commented.

"Here." Ichigo said, as he gave Rukia a small pink bag.

"For you." She told him, as she gave him a medium size bag.

Rukia eagerly opened her gift, and Ichigo looked at her as she did. She audibly gasped when she pulled out a silver necklace with a Chappy the Rabbit pendant.

"It's so cute!" Orihime gushed as she saw the gift, but Rukia only had eyes for Ichigo.

"You shouldn't have." She said, her eyes shining brightly.

"I wanted to." Ichigo said sincerely.

"Thank you." The girl said with earnest. They both smiled. "Go on, open your gift."

He did as he was told, and the boy was surprised to take out the collected works of Shakespeare in hardcover translated in Japanese. "No way! Where did you find this?" Ichigo exclaimed, excited at his present.

"A little bird might have told me I could find it in Tokyo." She explained, expecting Ichigo to understand the hidden meaning of her words.

"Thank you!"

After the gift exchange, they prepared to leave Rukia's house. They helped her clean up, and tidy up. They took off the decorations, threw out the trash, and sweep the floor. An hour later, they were all ready to part ways.

"Thank you all for coming!" Rukia said warmly, and they all nodded and hugged each other.

After everyone had left, Ichigo turned to Rukia. "Are you ready?" The girl was spending the night at his house, for Isshin had made it clear he wanted all of his children, third daughter included, at home for the night.

"Yeah, just let me get my bag."

The two teens walked happily, as they chatted about the day's events. Ichigo was caring Rukia's bag, and his right hand was almost touching her left hand. A little bit more and he could have touched her, but he didn't. They were starting to get back to normal, and he didn't want to ruin it. They soon arrived at the Kurosaki household, where the festivities continued until midnight. Isshin had gotten them all gifts, and Rukia was surprised to find Yuzu and Karin had given her gifts as well. The Kurosakis were delighted when Rukia told them she had also bought them presents. It was a very happy night.

Ichigo and Rukia, who weren't tired, ended up in Ichigo's room deciding to stay up for a bit more to talk.

"I can't believe you went to Tokyo just to buy me this book." Ichigo said as he admired his present.

"It was worth it. I know how much you love Shakespeare." Rukia said.

"So that's why you went with Kaien that day?" Ichigo asked, not meeting her eyes.

"Yeah. I didn't want you to find out I was your Secret Santa. Besides, Kaien-dono wanted my help to buy you guys presents." Rukia explained.

"So it wasn't a date?" Ichigo asked again.

"Not at all."

And then he was kissing her. It wasn't as demanding as the first two ones they had shared, but it was still passionate. It was also desperate. He was in love with her, and only knew how to tell her through his actions. She kissed him back just as passionately, finally telling him what he wanted to hear. She was in love with him too, and she couldn't possibly ignore that fact any longer.

They broke apart, and Ichigo rested his forehead on Rukia's. They smiled at each other, entwining their fingers together, and not planning to let go any time soon.

"What do we do now, Ichigo?" Rukia said, evidently scared but excited as well.

"Be my girlfriend." Ichigo said confidently.

The girl shook her head. "You know I can't. I'm already engaged."

"You're gonna marry Kaien at the end of high school, right?" Ichigo suddenly asked.

"Yes."

"That gives us two years, right?"

"Yeah. What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that ignoring our feelings obviously didn't work. I like you and you like me, and nothing will stop us. You're not married yet, and won't be for a while, so we can have two years together."

Rukia felt herself blushing from the boy's speech. It was what she wanted to hear, but she was still scared. "And in two years' time, we'll have to break up, and I'll marry someone else. Is it worth all the pain?"

"I'd rather spend two years with you, and then part ways, than not be together at all. I want us to have a high school romance, even if it'll be fleeting. I just wanna be with you for the time being." He said and nuzzled her head.

Rukia bit her lip, and tighten her hold on his hand. "I wanna be with you too." She finally said.

"Good." Ichigo said before kissing her again.

* * *

The New Year brought new changes into their lives. For one thing, in March they went from being first years, to moving on to second year. Ganju graduated from high school, and started studying veterinary much to the elders' dismay. Chad started working part time at a sports store. Orihime too decided to start working part time as the cashier at a bakery. Tatsuki became an assistant at the dojo where she had always practiced. Ishida started selling the things he made online. Mizuiru started dating an older woman, and apparently they were going steady. Keigo remained the same as always. As for Ichigo and Rukia, well, they had changed the most out of their friends. They started dating secretly and were going strong, even if they had everything against them. So far, no one had noticed a difference in their relationship, and if someone had, they had yet to express it. Outside, they were the same as always, occasionally bickering and mostly good friends having fun. Behind doors, they made out and told cheesy things to each other. They liked cuddling and holding hands when no one was watching. They'd tease each other, and laugh a great deal when being together. It was going good for them.

Although Kaien was a constant presence at the back of their minds, they rarely saw him. Sure, he called Isshin often, and had a knack of appearing unannounced in the Kurosaki house, but such events were rare. So far Kaien remained as disinterested in Rukia as he had always been. If anything, he was like a brotherly figure in her life more than a fiancé. Byakuya too barely made an appearance in Karakura Town. He called Rukia once every day, but never set foot on town except on special occasions, like Rukia's birthday. He hadn't had dinner with Ichigo again after the last fiasco. So, it is not strange to think Rukia was surprised her father wanted to have dinner with her on early May.

As opposed to how Byakuya's visits often were, this time the man had told her daughter a simple dinner at home would suffice, just like old times. Rukia, who that Saturday was not really in the mood to go out since she missed her boyfriend, agreed and told the cook to prepare dinner with all of Byakuya's favorite dishes. She set the table the way she knew her father liked, and put on a delicate light blue dress she knew her father would approve. At seven sharp, they sat down to eat their meal, while making small talk, until Byakuya went straight to the point of this visit.

"So are you still close to Kurosaki Ichigo?" He asked.

Rukia raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "He's my classmate, and I also spend every evening at his house. I should think we are close. Why?"

"No reason. I just believe it is not correct for an engaged woman to spend so much time with a man who is not her husband." He warned her.

Ah, there it was. "Ichigo is just a friend. There's nothing wrong with our friendship. I have more male friends. Is it wrong to hang out with them too?" Rukia said haughtily. She was rather protective of Ichigo and tended to snap.

"No, not by itself. But when two people are so close, they tend to develop _feelings_ which are improper." He explained.

"And you think Ichigo and I are in danger of developing those feelings?" She asked, sarcasm dripping in her tone.

"I think you already have." Byakuya said bluntly, which shut Rukia up instantly.

"How would you know that? You're barely here." She tried to pretend she wasn't shaken up by his statement.

"You should listen to how you sound when you speak about him."

"That doesn't prove anything."

"Rukia, remember that you are a taken woman. You are engaged already, and cannot, and I repeat, cannot have a relationship with any other man who is not Shiba Kaien." Byakuya said with a warning voice.

"And whose fault is that?" Rukia spat.

"Rukia."

"You didn't even let me decide. One day you just went and told me I was supposed to marry Kaien-dono." She started ranting, ignoring her father's disapproving looks.

"Rukia."

"I have to fulfill my duty, as you always say, even if I don't want to. I barely know Kaien-dono! I don't want to marry him or anyone by eighteen! But you don't care! You only care about your rules and the clan! Ah, but you broke every rule to marry mother, but can't possibly break some rules for _me_ , your daughter!"

"Rukia, stop!" Byakuya commanded but Rukia was just too angry to stop.

"No, you listen to me! You could've done something, anything, to stop the elders from marrying me off. But you remained quiet. You have the power to stop them, you proved that when you married my mother, but I can't. I have to fulfill what would have been _your_ duty. Why? Do you hate me?"

That surprised the oldest Kuchiki. "I do not hate you. What gave you that idea?"

"What gave me that idea?" Rukia replied ironically. "Maybe the fact that you haven't been able to look me in the eye since the day mother died. You can't even look at me now!"

Then, a pregnant pause followed as Rukia breathed heavily. "I don't have an illicit relationship with Ichigo, nor do I plan to have one. I will marry Kaien-dono when the time comes, but not because I want to." She finalized her speech, stood up, and left the room.

Once inside, she paced around her room, feeling angry and hurt. Her thoughts were wild, jumping one after another. Everything was mixed in a jumble, and it was getting hard to identify all of her feelings. Her resentment towards her father for years of neglect, the loneliness and pain of losing her mother, her anger against the elders for deciding her fate, her feelings towards Kaien, equal part admiration and discomfort, her love for Ichigo, her doubts, and finally her insecurities and anger against herself all exploded inside her brain. It was beautiful, like watching a star die. It was tragic, and painful. Rukia now had to confront her reality.

She sat down on her bed, and finally let herself cry. The Kuchikis had a motto, "we must not shed tears, for that is a surrender of the body to the heart. It is only proof that we are beings that do not know what to do with our hearts." But that night, Rukia sent all her Kuchiki training to hell. She was tired, so, so tired of being a puppet, of letting others control her. She sniffed, and directed her gaze towards the only picture in her room. It was an old photo, taken when she had been a toddler, and in it was her mother, smiling and looking radiant. It was taken before her mother started getting seriously ill. Rukia observed the photo. She was the spitting image of her mother. The height, the color of their skin, the shape and color of the eyes, and the black hair, which reached past their shoulders. She touched self-consciously a strand of hair. Rukia realized she had the same haircut as her mother did back then. That didn't sit well with her.

The next day, Rukia didn't bid her father goodbye, but she did watch him go from her bedroom's window. She didn't know if she felt relief or regret for letting him go without as much as a kind word. She'd deal with that later, for she had an important matter to attend to. An hour later, she went to the mall all by herself and prayed none of her friends were there. She found a hair salon that seemed empty and went in.

"What can I do for you today?" The hairstylists asked her kindly.

"I want a haircut." Rukia simply said.

"Of course. How short do you want your hair to be?"

The girl didn't need to think about it. She had already decided. "Make it _very_ short."

* * *

Ichigo woke up Monday morning feeling strange. He didn't know the exact reason, but he could pin point the origins of this unsettling feeling: Rukia. He knew that she had dinner with her father on Saturday, and it might not have gone well for he didn't hear from Rukia at all on Sunday. It worried Ichigo to think something bad could have happened, but he knew that you couldn't pressure Rukia to tell you anything. Whenever she was ready, she'd tell you her problems, not before or after. So like the good boyfriend he was, he decided to let her be. The good news was that at least he could see her at school.

Ichigo headed to school earlier than usual, the need to see his secret girlfriend was particularly strong that morning. Once he arrived, he was definitely surprised to note Rukia wasn't there yet, and in fact most of his classmates hadn't arrived yet. Only Ishida was present, which wasn't really shocking, for the boy practically lived at school. So Ichigo waited, and watched as, one by one, all of his classmates arrived, everyone except Rukia.

"Kuchiki-san is not here yet. Is she sick?" Orihime wondered out loud a few minutes before the bell rang.

"Maybe. It sure is weird that she isn't here yet. She's never been absent." Tatsuki commented.

"You should call her, Ichigo, to see if she's alright." Chad suggested and Ichigo nodded. He was just about to take his cell phone out when Rukia appeared in the classroom, looking the same as always except for one big difference: her hair was short. Her hair, which used to reach past her shoulders, was now cut in a bob. The strands being as long as that one rebel hair of hers which remained always in the middle of her forehead.

"Good morning!" She greeted them normally, but something was off.

"Your hair." Ichigo blurted out before he could stop himself.

"Ah, yeah, I cut it yesterday." She said, and started playing with the ends of her hair. "Does it look good?"

"It looks good on you, Kuchiki-san!" Orihime said cheerfully, and Rukia smiled.

"You think?"

"You look like a goddess!" Keigo exclaimed, and was knocked out by Tatsuki before he could approach Rukia.

Ichigo didn't know what to feel about it. Although it wasn't strange for a girl to get a haircut, Rukia was a creature of habit. She liked things a certain way, and even if she could be flexible, she often didn't want, and preferred to live in the way she always had. If she had made such a big change in her exterior appearance, Ichigo knew something big had happened.

Nobody except for him made a big deal about it. All their friends complimented Rukia, and even some of their classmates. During lunch time, Rukia acted same as always, although Ichigo could feel she had built a wall between them, probably so that he wouldn't discover her thoughts. He confirmed this during the walk home, for his girlfriend remained silent and avoided speaking to him. In his house, her façade was back. His father and sisters complimented her hair as well, and didn't notice anything amiss. Soon, Isshin said he was going to be in the clinic, and Yuzu and Karin said they were going to the mall. They were left alone, and Rukia grew silent again.

"Oi! What's wrong with you?" He asked her in the privacy of his room.

"Nothing."

"What do you mean 'nothing'? You've barely spoken to me, and you've been faking smiles all day! Also, what's up with your hair?" He questioned her, trying to conceal his concern for her through sarcasm. He didn't fool her.

"Nothing escapes you, right." Rukia said, and then laughed without mirth. "We can't do this anymore, Ichigo." She finally said.

"We can't do what exactly?" He knew where this conversation was going, and he didn't like it one bit.

"You. Me. _Us_." She gestured, pointing towards Ichigo, herself, and the space between them. "My father's onto us. We can't keep up with our relationship. If my father, Kaien-dono, or someone else finds out, we're doomed."

"So you're saying we should break up?" Ichigo whispered, his bangs covering his eyes.

"I don't want to, but I don't see another option." Rukia said, and crossed her arms around herself.

"Bullshit." He hissed.

"Excuse me?"

"I said it's bullshit, Rukia!" Ichigo shouted. "So what if your father's onto us, he won't catch us, he's not here to begin with. Kaien's the same. No, there's another reason, one you're not telling me."

"It's just wrong, Ichigo! I'm gonna get married, remember?" Rukia wailed. "I'm basically cheating on Kaien-dono with you."

Ichigo scoffed. "Neither of you cares about that. You don't _want_ this marriage! None of you!"

"But it's still going to happen. By the time I graduate high school, I'm gonna be his wife." Rukia said in defeat.

"Not if you fight for it." Ichigo said.

"What?"

"Your father fought and got to marry your mother. My father as well. If you fight them back, they can bend the rules!"

Rukia shook her head. "It's not that simple."

"It's not that difficult either."

"That's beside the point! What I'm trying to say is that we should stop being together before we crash and burn!" The girl exclaimed, her body trembling.

"We already have." Ichigo said, his voice barely above a whisper. He approached Rukia, and pulled her towards him, although she started pushing him away.

"Stop it." She muttered tiredly.

"Tell me you don't want me, tell me you don't love me and I'll go away." Ichigo replied, his arms still around her.

"You're not fair." Rukia said bitterly. "I love you." She finally said.

Ichigo smiled. "I love you too."

Their lips crashed fiercely, as their hands grabbed onto each other, clearly afraid of letting go, or else their happy world would disappear. Ichigo pushed Rukia on his bed, his hands starting to roam her body, while the girl hugged his back, trying to bring him closer to her own body. He started licking her neck on the spots he knew she liked, while Rukia mewled in pleasure. This was their most heated make out session since they started dating. Ichigo soon realized this, for he stopped his ministrations.

"Why did you stop?" Rukia whined, her chest heaving.

"'Cause we were going too far." He answered, equally as breathless as she was.

"But I don't want you to stop." Rukia boldly confessed, making Ichigo blush.

"What?"

"Take me, Ichigo. Right here, right now."

The young man didn't need to be told twice.

* * *

Rukia's haircut was just the beginning of a series of changes which spanned during the less than two years they had left of high school. After that disastrous dinner, Rukia cut short her already scarce interactions with her father. Kaien decided to enter an exchange program and moved to Osaka for a year, which didn't settle well with the elders, but couldn't do anything if Kaien and his university thought this would improve him in some manner. This meant that Kaien's meetings with Rukia were almost none existent by this point. Meanwhile, Rukia's secret relationship with Ichigo kept growing. They spent as much time together as possible. They learned how to communicate their insecurities and problems much more effectively to avoid any more breakup talks. They had also become sexually active, which complicated their relationship a lot more, but it also made their connection even closer. They took all necessary precautions, and tried to be a discreet as it was possible for two teenagers in love.

Another change occurred just before the start of the winter semester in second year, when Rukia announced some plans to Ichigo.

"I want to go to G─ University at Tokyo." She said one evening when they were doing homework.

Ichigo stopped writing. "You want to go back to Tokyo?" He asked.

"Yeah. This university has an incredible law program, and I'd like to study there." She confessed, with blushing cheeks and bright eyes.

"You want to be a lawyer?"

"Yes."

Ichigo smiled. "Then I support your decision. You should study there if you want to." Then he stretched. "Well, time to study."

"That's it?" Rukia blinked.

"Well, I need to study a lot if I want to get into such an elite university as G─ University, y'know?"

"You want to go to the same university as me?" Rukia asked, completely shocked.

"Of course, I want to! Do you think I'd let you go all by yourself? Hell no!"

She grinned, and then kissed him softly. "Thank you." Ichigo smiled back.

That day, they didn't do a lot of studying.

* * *

Although Rukia was resolute to go to college, she still questioned how she could possibly do that when she was supposed to get married by eighteen. Most noble women didn't study majors, their clans didn't think they should for they were going to be raising children anyway. But Rukia felt she had an advantage as she wasn't _just_ a noble woman, she was the heiress of the Clan, and as such, she needed to have a complete education. Or that is how she saw it.

She approached this subject carefully with her father on one of his rare visits. The man actually agreed with her, and said that they would voice this change of plans during the next Clan meeting which happened to be a month from then. To this meeting, the Shiba Clan was also invited, since Kaien was also involved in that decision. In the blink of an eye, the time passed and the meeting was held. The clans did not take well Rukia's petition to postpone the wedding, but with a little convincing on Byakuya's part, and Kaien saying that he wanted to wait until Rukia finished college as well, there wasn't much they could do. Rukia and Ichigo were elated by the news. That meant that they had four more years together, and if Ichigo actually made it into the same university as Rukia, then their lives didn't need to change immediately. Their carefree days could continue.

After the meeting, the two teens started studying more than ever in their lives, eventually entering a cram school to improve their grades. Rukia hardly had any problems, but Ichigo, who had had average grades at best, found out he needed to be almost the best to get into the same university as Rukia. Nevertheless, he improved so much, he ended up being just a few points behind Rukia, Ishida and Orihime, the ones with the highest grades in his year. Things were looking good for them.

Sadly, their happy days had to end someday, and they did earlier than expected. It was during their last year of high school, and Ichigo had been too busy studying to notice the changes around him. He had always been an oblivious guy, but with so many things going on in his life, it was easy to not notice the small changes in his group of friends. Inoue Orihime, who had had an obvious crush on him for ages, started showing more and more just how interested she was in him. It wasn't flirting, Orihime was too shy for that, but she left hints here and there to let him know. And was ignored every single time. Tatsuki, who had been rooting for her best friend for years, was beyond annoyed that there hadn't been any development whatsoever in their relationship. Meanwhile, Rukia observed these events unfold and tried hard not to appear jealous, but it was hard when a girl was trying to make a move on your secret boyfriend. Ishida was another member of the group who got caught into this love triangle, which ended up being a love square. He had developed feelings for Orihime, no doubt because of all the time they had spent together in their sewing club, but decided to be merely a witness, knowing well that Orihime would not accept his feelings, and that she would be rejected too. It was a sad situation, which ended up blowing up one sunny afternoon.

Ichigo walked to the roof after classes. He had gotten a note from Inoue, which told him to meet her there. The boy thought maybe the girl needed help with something, and of course he was willing to aid her. He opened the door and calmly walked outside, already finding the girl there, standing in the middle of the place, playing with her fingers.

"Inoue." He greeted her, which seemed to startle her.

"Ku…Kurosaki-kun! You came!" Orihime exclaimed, her cheeks burning.

"Yeah, I came. So what's up?" He simply said, oblivious to the way the girl was acting.

"Ah… right." Orihime said, bashfully. With her eyes downcast, she muttered. "I need to tell you something."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "Oh… what's that?"

"I… you see… the thing is…" The poor girl stuttered, not finding the right words to convey her feelings. Her legs felt like jelly, and her whole body felt as it was on fire. Ichigo patiently waited for her, realizing that whatever she wanted to tell him was important. "I… Kurosaki-kun… the truth is I like you!" She finally said, shouting at the very end. The weight of years of hiding her feelings was finally lifted from her shoulders.

"Oh." The boy was stunned. He couldn't believe he had just been confessed to, and much less by Inoue Orihime. She was the girl everyone liked, and to think she had liked him all along was strange.

"You…you don't need to answer or anything!" Orihime added after a long pregnant pause. "I just wanted to let you know."

Ichigo shook his head. "No, it's only fair that I give you an answer too." He said with conviction. "Inoue."

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry… but I can't return your feelings."

It didn't come quite as a shock as one would have expected. Orihime wasn't a foolish person, she had known all along what his answer would be. But part of her broke when the words she had dreaded to hear finally left his lips. It was over. At last she had an answer, and it wasn't precisely the one she wanted, but she could finally move on.

She smiled so heartbreakingly angels could have sobbed. "I know." Orihime murmured and then left the boy alone.

Of course Ichigo told Rukia about everything that had happened on the rooftop, which came to no surprise for his girlfriend, who had suspected it all along. The boy felt bad about rejecting his friend, and Rukia felt guilty, as if she had stolen something precious that was never meant to be hers.

"Are you sure about this?" Rukia asked him.

Ichigo rolled his eyes, but held tightly onto her smaller hand. "Of course, I am. We're in this together, no matter what."

She smiled back.

As it were rejecting Orihime and telling Rukia about the whole ordeal had been the easy parts, the hard one came during the following day when he arrived to the classroom. Ichigo was yawning, when he suffered a surprise attack. Someone punched him square in the face. He blinked through the pain and found out that the one who had hit him was none other than Tatsuki.

"What the hell?!"

"How dare you!" She yelled, completely furious. "How dare you come here as if nothing had happened?! How dare you show your face here?!" Tatsuki continued shouting, attracting the attention of several students. "You have no shame! To think you'd reject her for _that_ little fantasy of yours! You disgust me!" She spat, and left him there, standing in shock.

From that day onwards the group dissolved. Orihime and Tatsuki started eating lunch by themselves, occasionally joined by Ishida. The auburn haired girl remained kind towards them, but Tatsuki glared continually at Ichigo. For his part, Ichigo kept eating lunch with his original group plus Rukia. Things had changed, but Ichigo didn't regret his decision. When it comes to love, it is all or nothing. Tatsuki still had to learn that.

* * *

Months passed until graduation day approached. It was also time for Ichigo and Rukia to see if they had entered G University as it had been their plan. One morning, Rukia called him excitedly.

"Ichigo! I just received my letter! Check the mail!"

Just then, Isshin barged in his room. "Ichigo! It's here! The letter is here!"

The boy nodded and took the letter from his father's extended hand. "I got it, Rukia." He told her.

"Let's open it on the count of three."

"One."

"Two."

"Three!"

"I've got accepted!" They said at the same time, both filled with glee. At least that part of their lives was working out. They weren't going to be separated after all.

Graduation day arrived in March with spring. Three years had already gone by in the blink of an eye. Ichigo couldn't help but reminisce how his life had changed in those three years. He actually had noble blood in his veins. He met a stubborn but kind girl and went from being rivals to best friends and finally lovers. He was going to attend a top university in Tokyo with an almost full scholarship due to his hard work. His family was proud. Hell, he even was proud of himself too. And the best part was he got to share all of this with Rukia, the girl he loved most.

Surrounding him was his family, including Kaien, Kūkaku and Ganju, who had taken the time to come and see his graduation. Next to his family was Rukia along with her father, who looked rather proud of his daughter's achievements even in a public school. Ichigo's friends were not far from them, cheering and laughing with their families.

"Well, you two did it!" Kaien exclaimed and smiled at both Ichigo and Rukia.

"Yeah, we did." The girl grinned.

"This calls for celebration!" Isshin exclaimed, and then announced he had already made plans for them in a restaurant, Byakuya included. The other noble couldn't refuse the invite, and the Kurosakis, the three Shibas, and the two Kuchikis went out together as a family. There were no mentions of future weddings, or hints about forbidden relationships. The atmosphere was happy and relaxed, centered on the two teens' next adventure in college. There was a lot of joking around, and even Byakuya cracked a smile when Karin punched her father.

"Here." Ichigo called Rukia when they were walking next to each other towards the limousine. He grabbed her hand and put something in it. "Open it once you're alone."

They bid their goodbyes, and Rukia stepped inside the limo, clenching her fist in case whatever Ichigo had put in would slip. Her hand remained closed until she reached the privacy of her room back at her house. Then, and only then, did she dare open her fist, only to stare in disbelief at the object, and then shake her head. It was the second button of Ichigo's jacket.

* * *

 **A/N:** I spent my high school life entering Secret Santa Exchanges, in fact they were a thing in my middle school. I also organized them in college with my friends. This year too. I don't know how popular they actually are, but I wanted to add something from my own high school experience. Incidentally, during one of such exchanges I got my crush and he got me, too bad we were cockblocked and had to do the whole papers thingy again and I didn't get him a second time.I 'm also sorry for indulging in the Chappy merch and Shakespeare book cliché, but I couldn't help myself.

I loved writing Ishida even though he doesn't appear much. Another character done wrong by Kubo. Chad too. It's my headcanon that Chad used to ship Ichigo and Rukia, and at least in this fanfiction it's true.

Over the years, I've written many a IR first kiss scene, and still out of any situation, the impulsive kiss is my favorite yet. Ichigo is reckless, and Rukia becomes reckless when with Ichigo. For me, it's one of the most believable scenarios, followed by a lot of embarrassment.

This Christmas, my grandpa wore a raindeer hat all night. That's where I took the idea for Ichigo's hat in this chapter. Since my grandpa is usually grumpy, it was funny seeing him wear it.

I made up the name of the university, because why the hell not.

My favorite part: destroying IchiHime, because I'm petty and salty about the Bleach ending. I actually quite liked how I wrote it, and that Orihime went down with grace, as her original character deserved. Tatsuki losing her shit is a call back to that scene during the arrancar arc, when Orihime goes to Hueco Mundo and Tatsuki confronts Ichigo about it. It seems more exaggerated here, but teens are teens. And I like drama.

Finally, it's a Japanese tradition that when a boy graduates, he can give the second botton of his jacket to the girl he likes. Many girls ask their senpai for their second botton. I've seen it mentioned in some shojou and I thought it'd be cute if Ichigo gave it to Rukia in secret.

Anyway, next time the climax approaches. What do you think will happen?


	4. Postlude

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach. It is property of Tite Kubo.

 **Author's Note:** I have no shame. I took ages to publish an already finished fanfiction because I either kept forgetting to update or were too tired to do it. Today I have free time, so here it is.

Anyway, before introducing this chapter, as some of you already know, there was a lot of drama involved over two reviews left by a person complaining to me for liking IchiRuki. Since this fanfiction had a warning, I had to fulfill it. I posted both reviews on Tumblr and answered this person. I was overwhelmed by the support of this community! A lot of you defended me against this person, and gave me kind words. I'm really happy about it! A lot of you here, on Tumblr and Facebook supported me! Thank you! Let's unite against bullies!

Well, now with the story. Some of you guessed what happens next, you guys deserve a cookie! The rest will have to find out in this chapter. This is the very last one, and it has a time skip. In a week (I hope) I'll publish the final chapter, which is actually the epilogue. Thank you again for your support, all of your reviews, and for following and putting this story in your favorites. I've been questioning my worth as a writer lately, but knowing that people like some of my writing makes me happy. In the end, writing is about expressing feelings and ideas and sharing them with people. Thank you for this opportunity! I'll see you guys soon! Enjoy!

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Lana:** No, thank _you_ for your kind review! I'm really glad you enjoyed this fic!

 **Guest 1:** I'm happy you're hooked with this story. Sorry for the wait.

 **lightdesired:** I will! It is funny! But I also wonder why are they so obssessed with people liking their ship? They could ship in peace, without bothering anyone. That's what I do when my ships become canon. I don't like forcing people into agreeing with me, much less over something so silly.

 **Jin:** Thank you! Yeah, I do mind it in Spanish, since it's her first language. "Orihime surely inspired a lot with her stalking skills." this made me laugh a lot!

 **Cloud9:** Thank you for your reviews and the support! Don't worry, I understood you! Your reviews made me very happy! Don't mind that org. I didn't report her, but if she attacks me again, maybe I will.

 **Guest 2:** Thank you!

 **Guest 3:** Awww, thank you very much!

 **J:** Yeah, she stalks people in the ir fandom. In the Spanish-speaking fandom, she's apparently well-known. But after that lost post, she hasn't come back. I'm glad.

 **Yesmin:** Thank you for your reviews! I'm glad you liked the chapters! I'm not gonna confirm or deny anything about Kaien's distraction. Read for yourself ;)

 **Guest 4:** Thank you! I hope you're prepared because shit's about to hit the fan!

 **Guest 5:** Thank you so much!

 **Guest 6:** Thank you! Here's the next chapter!

* * *

 _Postlude_

"This is nice." Rukia murmured as she pulled Ichigo closer to her, their naked bodies becoming more entangled.

"Yes, it is." Ichigo agreed, nuzzling her head, and grabbing her by the waist. Rukia's hair tickling his chin.

Almost four years had passed by since Ichigo and Rukia had graduated from high school and had started their college lives. They had gone to Tokyo, each renting different apartments, but close enough so that they could still see each other daily. Their lives had changed in the sense they were more independent now, but had more obligations than during their high school lives. They were also pretty much by themselves, with Byakuya rarely seeing Rukia even if they now lived in the same city. In this way, they had managed to continue living in their fantasy, ignoring the harsh reality. Nevertheless, with the four year marked approaching, they couldn't ignore it anymore.

"I wish we could stay like this forever." The young woman mentioned, as she gently drew patterns on Ichigo's chest with her finger.

"Me too." Her lover said in return, kissing softly her neck.

She laughed. "Stop it." She said noncommittally.

"I don't want to." The man whined, eliciting a chuckle from his girlfriend.

"You'll have to, Ichigo. I've got two essays to finish before the deadline."

"I had forgotten how much of a nerd you are."

"Ha, ha." Rukia laughed sarcastically. "Don't make fun of me. You should do your own work as well."

"Ugh. Don't remind me." Ichigo grumbled, and Rukia took the opportunity to stand up.

He couldn't stop staring at her. She was so beautiful, standing naked before him, with the sun setting in the background. He licked his lips. Her skin was smooth and creamy. Her legs were long and firm. Her neck elegant. From where he was laying, he couldn't see her breasts clearly, just the outline of them, which was enough. He knew that they were small but perfectly rounded. They easily fitted in his hands. His eyes roamed her behind next. Her butt was firm and round, like a peach.

He grew hard.

" _Rukia_." Ichigo said, voice husky and demanding.

Rukia turned to look at him, and gave him a challenging gaze. "Yeah?"

"Come back to bed."

She smirked. " _Make me_."

Never one to say no to a challenge, Ichigo stood up and grabbed her hips, pulling her back to bed as she laughed. He started tickling her as punishment for daring leave his side. She kept laughing, but then started moaning, when Ichigo's hands started massaging her breasts, and his mouth left wet kisses on her stomach.

" _Ichigo_." Rukia moaned as the man continued with his ministrations, now kissing her nipples. She grabbed his hair, and directed him where she wanted.

"Don't be so impatient." He chuckled, as she huffed.

"Then do what I want."

"Of course."

He then kissed her passionately, in the way she had always liked. It was the kind of kiss which made you close your eyes, and enjoy the ride as it lifted you up higher and higher. As he kissed her, his hands traveled south, rubbing and caressing her where she was most sensitive. Finally, he reached that spot which drove her crazy, and started rubbing her.

After so many nights together, Ichigo was quite familiar with the way Rukia liked to be touched. Making love to her was a privilege, and he always strived to make her feel amazing. He continued kissing her and touching her in ways only he could, memorizing the sounds she made every time. Rukia, likewise, etched on her memory how he made her feel, and how it was like to be loved by him.

Her back arched when he finally entered her, and Rukia moaned his name, as Ichigo grunted. They pulled each other closer, as close as they could be, and the dance started. He never stopped kissing her, and she never let go, not even when both had reached their climax, and had collapsed on the bed, spent and sweaty.

"I love you." Ichigo said affectionately, playing with Rukia's short strands of hair.

"I love you too, Ichigo." She replied, caressing his cheek.

Days like this one were often the norm. The two spending every waking moment together, knowing it could be their last. As much as they tried to ignore it, reality was always at the back of their minds, like a ghost which haunted them. It was obvious that at one point the pressure would be too much, and one or the two of them would snap under the pressure. This event finally occurred that very night, as they both tried to concentrate on their works, but Ichigo's mind had been elsewhere.

"In a few months we'll be graduating." He mentioned, interrupting Rukia's typing.

"I can't believe it. Seems only yesterday we were still in high school." She replied with fondness, thinking about those days in Karakura.

"We were kids back then, and now we're adults." Ichigo said sadly.

Rukia snorted. "We're not _that_ old, Ichigo. You're twenty three and I'm twenty two."

"Still, we'll soon face the real world. We won't be able to afford being careless anymore, Rukia." He said dejectedly.

"What is this really about?" She finally asked.

"In a few months, we'll have to break up and you'll marry Kaien."

Ah. Of course.

Rukia sighed. "Don't remind me. I wish it wasn't happening." Denial was bliss in that little world of hers.

Ichigo scooted closer to her. "Do you regret it? Being with me, that is."

She shook her head. " _Never_. Don't even think about it." After a few seconds of silence, she added. "Do _you_ regret it?"

"No!" The man exclaimed. "It's just that sometimes I wish we'd done it differently, y'know?"

"Oh, I know. If I hadn't been a noble, if we had met as regular high school students, if we hadn't needed to conceal our true feelings, if only I wasn't engaged to your cousin." That was the harsh truth.

"I wish you could decide what you want, Rukia." He said, taking his lover in his strong arms. The young woman hugged him back.

"So do I. Sometimes I feel guilty."

"Why?" He shifted so he could look at her.

"I've been cheating on Kaien-dono for six years now." It was the first time Rukia had admitted it out loud. The affirmation stunned them into silence.

"And I've been in a relationship with my cousin's fiancée." Ichigo replied dryly.

Rukia laughed without mirth. "What a pair we make!"

"I'd still do it all over again if I at least got the chance to be with you for six years." He confessed, and the woman immediately kissed him softly on the lips.

"If there was a way out of this, _believe_ _me_ , I'd take it and be with you." Rukia's words sparked something in his mind, memories, more precisely, of when he had been fifteen and had just discovered he was a noble. His father's words resounded in his ears. Isshin had found a way out.

"There is." That phrase resounded in the otherwise silent room.

"What?" Rukia said perplexed.

"My dad got out of an arranged marriage. If he did, you can."

"I see where this is going." She said. "But I _can't_."

That wasn't what Ichigo wanted to hear. "You can't or you won't?"

"Ichigo, what your father did wasn't that easy. He left everything behind, not only his position, fortune and name, but his family too. He hid his true identity from you for years. And even then, it wasn't a true act of rebellion. The Shiba Clan _let_ him go."

"What do you mean?"

"You think they'd let their Head go without a plan? No. It was good that your father had a brother, one that the elders obviously liked more. If it wasn't for that, he wouldn't have been able to escape. That's why my father bent the rules to marry my mother, knowing there was no one else but him. I don't have any siblings, Ichigo, nor first cousins. It's basically only me. If I left, there'd be no one. The elders and my father would pursue me to the ends of the world. I just can't run away with you." Rukia explained as best as she could, trying to make him understand.

"No, I get it. You have chosen duty over love." He said, standing up.

"Ichigo."

"Just because you're too afraid of letting your father down, you're not willing to try and change your destiny. But I'm not afraid. I will find a way, Rukia, and you can't stop me." With that said, he left.

"Ichigo! Wait!" Rukia shouted but it was too late. He was gone. "Damn it!" She cursed and punched a pillow. Things were rapidly crumbling down.

* * *

Although Ichigo had told Rukia he'd find a way to stop the marriage from taking place, he didn't know how or where to start. Truthfully, he was still pretty pissed at Rukia for not fighting for their future, but he'd be lying if he said he didn't miss her very much. Just two days after their fight, and he was already feeling crappy about not being able to talk to her or see her. He wouldn't survive it if she got married.

Sighing and frowning as he sipped dark coffee in the cafeteria was how Abarai Renji found Ichigo. Renji, who had been his friend since freshman year of college, knew what was wrong. It was weird to see the orange haired man before him without a certain petite woman who was fond of rabbits. He instantly knew they had fought, which was definitely nothing new, except for the fact they usually made up the same day. The fact Ichigo was alone and brooding meant they hadn't made up quickly this time.

"Problems in paradise?" He jested, as he sat down on the same table as Ichigo.

"I'm not in the mood for your lame jokes, Renji." Ichigo answered.

"Whoa, you sure are moody today. What's up? Rukia didn't let you choose movie night?" Renji was not blind. From the moment he had met them, he had quickly realized they were an item even if they said they weren't. He had noticed this because he had had a crush on Rukia the very moment he set eyes on her, only to find out she was more than likely already in love with Ichigo. Regardless of that situation, Renji had gotten over his crush, and became good friends with them. For whatever reason, they chose to hide their relationship and Renji respected that, barely commenting on it. Unless he needed to get a point across.

"It's not about Rukia." Ichigo denied.

"Oh, so it is! What did you do this time?"

Ichigo scoffed. "I didn't do anything."

"Uh-hu." The red haired man said. "Like I'd believe you."

"Whatever." Was the dry response.

"Look, I don't mean to intrude─"

"You're doing a pretty good job about it."

"I don't need your sarcasm, Ichigo! What I mean to say is that if you have problems with Rukia, just talk to her. She's stubborn and possibly more thick-headed than you, but she'll listen if it's you. You're her weak spot, man. And it's time you realize it." Renji said earnestly. Those two were probably the only people he'd met who didn't judge him because of his low background or the many tattoos he had. He'd do anything for them.

"Thanks. You're awesome, Renji."

"Hey, now, don't get all mushy on me, bro, I don't swing that way."

"Shut up!"

Listening to Renji's advice, and realizing they were wasting precious time together, Ichigo, as Renji would put it, grew some balls and went to Rukia's apartment that very evening with a box of chocolates and a promise of watching the new Chappy the Rabbit movie Rukia had been dying to see for a while now.

"You're such a fool." She told him as he entered her apartment.

"I know." Ichigo conceded and finally kissed her. "I'm sorry. We don't have much time left, we should enjoy it while it lasts."

Rukia happily agreed with that sentiment.

* * *

Rukia was having the most boring time in her life at a family gathering. Most elders and other members of the clan were there, including her father. She felt all their eyes on her, waiting until she made one mistake to scold her. Rukia, since childhood, had known what they all thought of her. She was that bitch's spawn, who had come to infect the honorable Kuchiki Clan. They hadn't liked Hisana, her mother, and of that Rukia was aware. They had delighted in her death, and probably were unhappy that Rukia hadn't inherited Hisana's sickness. They couldn't get rid of her, though, for she was Byakuya's only child ─he had refused to remarry after his wife's death─, and as such, the only heir to the Kuchiki Clan. So, they could only content themselves with making Rukia as miserable as it was possible. Her manners, her physical features, her speech, intelligence, personality, and even her mere existence had been mocked for almost twenty three years. Seeing them all gathered in front of her disgusted her.

One would think her father, the Head of the Clan, would demand the respect his daughter deserved. Sadly, Byakuya had caused too much trouble during his youth, and had made a promise to his parents' grave that he would _never_ break the clan's rules again. That meant not going against the elders, even if he had to watch his daughter suffer in silence. It was most unfortunate.

"How are your studies going, Rukia?" Byakuya asked his daughter during dinner, noticing her discomfort.

"Very well, father." Rukia answered. "I will be graduating in March."

That caught the attention of the elders. "Excellent! That means we can start planning the wedding. We must notify the Shiba Clan."

That was right. The elders were the reason she had to marry Kaien-dono. She had barely turned fifteen when they were already saying that the Shiba Clan had promised the Kuchiki Clan a union, and now they could fulfill it by marrying their two heirs. The Shiba Clan had accepted, if only because having their heir marry the Kuchiki heiress would certainly elevate their status as a noble clan above the other three, for the Kuchiki Clan was always on top. Byakuya, because of his promise, hadn't been able to refuse the offer, and thus had condemned his daughter to the situation she was in right now.

"Of course the wedding will have to be traditional."

"And the ceremony will be held in one of our shrines."

"The banquet needs to be exquisite."

"The reception should be at our main manor."

As the elders started planning, Rukia felt herself growing nauseous. It was finally happening. Her freedom would be over after March. She'd never be with Ichigo again.

She excused herself.

* * *

Rukia wasn't the only one who had to deal with family dinners. Shortly after the Kuchiki Clan gathering, Kaien called him to eat dinner with him and his siblings. Isshin and the twins had also been invited. Ichigo dreaded seeing his cousin. It hadn't been a problem at the beginning, not when they rarely saw Kaien at Karakura, and knowing Rukia loved him was enough. But as they grew older, and as the wedding date started approaching, Ichigo developed a grudge against Kaien. To an outside party, his feelings wouldn't have seemed surprising, it was natural to dislike the man that could take it all away. Yet Ichigo was shocked to discover he harbored such hatred for his cousin, who had been nothing but kind and caring towards his family and him. He felt like a hypocrite too, for he had been sleeping with his future wife for years, while Kaien remained none the wiser.

"Welcome, welcome!" Kaien said as he saw Ichigo at the threshold of his manor at Tokyo. There he had lived with Kūkaku and Ganju until his studies and later his business had taken him elsewhere. Ichigo knew that he currently was living in his own apartment on the outskirts of Tokyo, though he visited his siblings often. "Your father and sisters are already here."

The younger man nodded and followed Kaien to the living room. He observed him as they walked. Kaien hadn't really changed through the years. He was just a jovial and carefree as he was when they first met. But he did notice that his eyes didn't sparkle as much as before. Perhaps the stress of leading his clan was taking a toll on him.

"Ichigo! You're late!" Isshin accused his son the moment the two men stepped into the room.

Said man rolled his eyes. "I'm here, right? That's what matters."

"I wish you hadn't come." Ganju muttered under his breath. He and Ichigo hadn't stopped being rivals yet. The rest of the family knew they cared for each other, even if they denied it.

Suddenly Ganju was whacked with his sister's prosthetic arm. "Don't be rude, Ganju!"

"Yes, nee-san."

The family caught up with recent events. Ganju wanted to start his own veterinary clinic. Kūkaku had been working on a new project which was top secret for one of the companies owned by the Shiba Clan. Kaien had been working in international law, and had been traveling to Osaka often for business. Meanwhile, Yuzu had started studying to be a chef, while Karin had taken into her father's footsteps and was studying medicine. Ichigo told them he was going to be graduating soon, and was not sure if he'd stay in Tokyo or go back to Karakura.

"You're going to be a detective. There's more work for that here than in your hometown." Kaien commented.

"Maybe." Ichigo grumbled. His decision relied more on the fact of whether or not he could stay where Rukia and Kaien would be living.

Soon, conversation went somewhere else until it unavoidably landed on Rukia.

"So, what is this I hear about the wedding being soon, Kaien?" Isshin asked after dinner.

The conversation stopped an all eyes turned to the man. "Yeah, the Kuchiki elders are setting it in April." He said sheepishly.

"Are you ready?" Isshin said rather seriously. "Do you know where you're going to live?"

Kaien scratched his neck. "We haven't figured things out yet."

"You need to think about that soon."

"We will."

Things got awkward after that point. It was no secret that the Kurosakis loved Rukia as part of the family, but they all disliked the idea of her marrying Kaien out of obligation. Kūkaku and Ganju had similar feelings, believing this would just make their brother unhappy.

"Anyway, who wants wine?" The host asked, and all of his guests said they wanted that beverage. "Alright, be right back."

Ichigo stood up. "Let me help you."

They walked in silence until they reached the cellar. Once there, Kaien, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, turned to look at him and crossed his arms.

"Well, speak."

"What?" This bewildered Ichigo.

"I'm not an idiot, cousin. I know you wanted to talk to me in private and that's why you followed me, so speak."

The younger man shook his head. "Nothing escapes you." Then he sighed. "Are you really going to marry Rukia?" He finally asked.

"What do you mean? Of course I'm going to marry her." Kaien answered.

"Then, do you love her?" Ichigo asked, again surprising the other man.

"What?" He said, dumbfounded.

"Do you love her, do you have romantic feelings towards her?" He repeated.

"I'm not gonna lie, I care for her. But I don't love her like that." Kaien said sincerely.

"So are you happy with trapping her in a loveless marriage?" That was the real reason for their abrupt meeting.

"Ichigo, what brought this on?"

"That she's gonna have to marry you soon. That she's gonna be stripped of her freedom, and become a housewife. She doesn't love you nor does she want this life. She can't fight back for some bullshit reason, but _you_ can."

"It's not that simple, Ichigo. You wouldn't' understand. You didn't grow up a noble."

From where he was standing, Kaien didn't look like the carefree young man he had met when he had been fifteen. He looked dead tired, as if he was caring all the weight of the world on his shoulders. Worst of all, he looked defeated, ready to embrace his dire fate, which didn't sit well on Ichigo. It was wrong, and he was going to make him see it.

"I understand, alright. That you're slaves to some old bastards. But I do know that _you_ can fight back. You just need a reason, and I'm gonna give it to you. If you truly care about Rukia, you'll find a way out." And with that said, Ichigo left his cousin to mull over his words. He hadn't noticed until later, he finally was taller than Kaien.

* * *

It was Rukia's birthday, and she had decided to spend the whole day with Ichigo. They had gone to the movies, eaten burgers at the mall, went to the Chappy Store where Ichigo had bought her a Chappy ring and a Chappy plush with a party hat on, and finally they had gone to Ichigo's apartment, where he had surprised her with dinner he had made himself. The day had been amazing, filled with fun and warmth. That is how Rukia would describe her days with her lover. Fun. Warm. As if she had been visited by the sun itself. And to think her days feeling like this were numbered… That brought her a sense of grief similar to losing her mother but different as well. She'd have to mourn the company of a man who would continue living, just not near her.

She sighed and blinked back tears as she played with the strawberry ice cream Ichigo had served her.

"What's wrong?" He asked her once he piqued on her mood.

"Nothing's wrong." Rukia said, trying to smile. "This is perfect. _You_ are perfect."

"But?" He added, knowing there was more to it than she was showing.

The woman shook her head. Sometimes she hated how well Ichigo could read her. "It's just sad, y'know? _This_ will never happen again." She gestured to Ichigo's apartment and the dinner he had prepared for her.

Ichigo nodded as if he had been thinking the same thing. It was scary how attuned they were. "I know." He sighed and started massaging his temples. "But this doesn't have to end."

Rukia blinked twice. "What do you mean?"

The man sighed. "I know I've asked you before, and I know your answer, but I'm gonna repeat it. Rukia, run away with me."

She looked at him at a loss of words, then to the table, and finally back at him again. Other times he had insinuated running away, she had looked at him with resolve in her eyes and an answer in her tongue, but this time there was doubt in her. "I… I don't know." Rukia finally said, her heart torn between what she wanted and what she had to do.

This gave him hope. "We _can_ do it. Kaien won't force you to anything. He doesn't have it in him. And even if the Kuchiki Clan tries to hunt you down, perhaps Byakuya won't let them. I think he understands best than anyone what you're going through. Maybe he'll let you go. Perhaps he'll change the rules."

Rukia awkwardly shifted in her seat. "I don't know… We're working with a lot of possibilities here and not one definite answer."

"That's how life is. It's all a gamble. You never know how's it gonna be. That can't stop you from living."

"I don't want to hurt you." She whispered, and crossed her arms around herself, creating a barrier to protect herself.

He chuckled. "You could never hurt me."

"This is all so complicated. Why can't it be easy?" Rukia complained.

"It can be." He said simply.

"How?"

"Rukia, just think about what you want and decide from there."

She didn't have to think twice. "I want _you_." Simple words that meant so much more. Him. A life with him. Marrying him. Having a family with him. Being with him always.

"Then the solution is easy. Let's run away." Ichigo proposed. They could run away back to Karakura or someplace else entirely. Japan was big enough to hide them.

"Okay."

And that's all it took.

* * *

Their plan had not many details. It was very simple, actually. They would wait until their graduations. Once they were over, Rukia would leave a letter for her father explaining her situation and decision. Then, the two would move far away from Tokyo and start over. They hadn't told Ichigo's family yet, but he was sure his father would understand. They would start working, and rent an apartment for themselves. In a few years, they would get married and no one could stop them. Now, their destination hadn't been decided yet. It could Osaka, Sapporo, Kanazawa or Okinawa. It didn't really matter as long as they were far away from Tokyo.

As for their lives, they went on as normal for a whole month. Taking classes, studying, finishing essays before the due dates, and spending the rest of their free time together. They had gone to Karakura Town once to visit Ichigo's family. They had even met their old high school friends and caught up. They all had been going well, but things were about to change drastically.

February was dying, giving way to March, and with the approaching ceremony and subsequent eloping. It was just an average Friday night. Ichigo and Rukia had been watching movies at the latter's apartment, and, as always, things had escalated until they had ended up naked in tangled sheets, high from sheer ecstasy. They were currently cuddling, their bodies close, breathing still erratic, messy hair, and smiles adorning their faces. Ichigo played with Rukia's hair, while she drew patterns on his chest. They whispered sweet nothings to each other. Then started talking about trivialities, enveloped in a cocoon of intimacy. They could have stayed like this forever, but their bubble was burst by Rukia's cellphone ringing.

"Who could be calling at this hour?" Ichigo complained, for it was well past midnight.

Rukia checked the caller ID and turned white. "My father."

She instantly stood up, threw Ichigo's shirt over her body, as if the thought of speaking while naked with her father on the phone was unthinkable, and walked to the living room, finally answering his call. "Hello, father. What is it?" Ichigo heard her ask.

She was shaking as she spoke, feeling faint. Had he discovered them? If that was it she was prepared to fight for her relationship with Ichigo, the man she loved. She would call off her wedding right then and there, their previous plans be damned. But what she heard from the other side of the line was completely different to what she expected.

"What?" She blurted out in disbelief. Ichigo, curious, walked towards the living room, finding his lover standing there, still as stone.

"Yes, yes, alright. I'll tell him. Goodbye." She hung up, and stared at the floor as if it had all the answers she wanted.

"So what did Byakuya want?" Ichigo finally asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

Rukia turned to look at him slowly, eyes widen in disbelief. "It was about Kaien-dono."

The man frowned. "Is something wrong with him?"

"He eloped and married another woman." Rukia answered, still in shock.

Ichigo had to laugh, his voice echoing through the night.

* * *

They were summoned for an urgent meeting the next Saturday, in which all members of the Kuchiki and Shiba Clans had to be present, which meant that even Kurosaki Isshin and his three children had to be present as well. The meeting was held on the main Kuchiki manor, inside its largest room. It was furnished in classic Japanese style, with only a painting adorning the wall, and large tables spread across the room as its only furniture. The tables were filled from one side to the other by the members of each clan. Byakuya was sitting at the head of the main table, along with Rukia. The other end of the table was empty, for Kaien hadn't showed up.

The room was anything but silent. Although all nobles prided on being dignified, this time they were all shouting at each other, yelling insults, making threats, and more. Such behavior was more appropriate of a market rather than the meeting room of the great Kuchiki Clan.

"I can't believe Kaien-sama would have done such a thing! This wouldn't have happened in _my_ days!" One Kuchiki elder lamented loudly, while his peers nodded in agreement. "It's unbelievable how such a noble man stained his own honor like that."

"This wouldn't have happened if Rukia-sama had gotten married to him years ago. He got tired of waiting. Can't blame him for that." A Shiba elder retorted maliciously.

"Excuse _you_ , but I should think that the heiress of the Kuchiki Clan is worth the wait." Another Kuchiki elder defended their position.

"Kaien-sama is but a man. A man has needs." Replied another.

"But an honorable man such as himself should have waited for his bride, instead of settling for some _whore_." A third Kuchiki elder interfered, smirking at the end of the sentence.

"Shall I remind you that your precious ojou-sama's _mother_ can be described with those very words? In fact, I recall your clan referred to her as such."

"How dare you bring that up?!"

"Maybe that's why Kaien-sama ran away. He didn't want to get married to the daughter of a whore. Maybe she's just like her mother."

"Silence!" Byakuya, who up until that point had remained silent, finally spoke up. His shout resounded against the walls, quieting all the room. His face remained as impassive as ever, but if one truly knew him, they would have noticed he had gotten angry at the sly remarks towards his late wife and daughter. "I am astonished at the way the honorable elders have spoken today. Such behavior is more proper of commoners. I will _not_ tolerate any disrespect towards my wife or my daughter in my own home. Are we clear?" He didn't raise his voice again, but Byakuya spoke with such authority the rest were humbled in return.

"Hai, Byakuya-sama." They all answered.

"Very well." The Head of the Kuchiki Clan nodded, pleased that they had finally shut up. "Now, does anyone in here know the whereabouts of Shiba Kaien?" He went down to business immediately.

Kūkaku raised her hand. "As far as my brother Ganju and I know, nii-san was attending a business in Osaka."

"Lies, all lies!" A Kuchiki elder interjected.

"Silence." Byakuya commanded again. He then turned to the young woman. "Was he notified about this urgent meeting?"

"Ganju and I left him several text messages and voice mails, so we think he must know by now."

Byakuya nodded again. "Then we must begin without him. We have summoned all of you due to a serious matter which concerns the Head of the Shiba Clan, Shiba Kaien, and my daughter, Kuchiki Rukia. Akira-dono, if you please, tell the rest the news that you shared with me last night."

A woman in her seventies stood up, bowed towards Byakuya, and spoke. "Last night we received some troubling news. One of our relatives in Osaka told us he had seen Kaien-sama with a woman several times. We asked him to investigate, as it were to know for certain he had not been cheating on our ojou-sama. Last night he confirmed our suspicions, and it was worse than we could have imagined, for Kaien-sama, as it appears, has recently wedded a woman by the name of Miyako." She finished, and the Shiba elders erupted in anger.

"Kaien-sama would never do that!"

"This is a scam!"

"Silence!" Byakuya shouted again. "This is the last time I will ask you to keep quiet. The next time it happens, I will ask of everyone who shouts that they exit the room."

"Byakuya-sama, I have finished my report." The woman said.

"Very well, please sit down, Akira-dono." The woman bowed down again, and sat down. "If this information were to be true," Byakuya continued, "it will mean that Shiba Kaien has made a serious affront not only to this clan, but to my daughter as well." He finished gravely. "Does any member of the Shiba Clan have information regarding this woman named 'Miyako'?"

"Nii-san has mentioned her once or twice." Ganju blurted out before his sister could stop him.

Byakuya nodded, impassively. "So at the very least, it has been confirmed that Shiba Kaien does in fact know a woman named Miyako. How much time does he spend in Osaka?"

"He goes very frequently, more than we would like." A Shiba elder confessed.

"Hmmm." Byakuya murmured, as if he were thinking. "So it appears this information must be true. How shall we proceed?"

"Byakuya-sama, if I may?" A Kuchiki elder spoke.

"Please do, Saburo-san."

"I hadn't even been born yet, when this decision came to be, but my father communicated this to me in time, and I know it to be true. Long ago, the Kuchiki and Shiba clans agreed that they should join forces, and promised that the children of the heads would get married. Alas, as it were, only boys were born for the next three generations, until twenty three years ago, Rukia-sama was born. Given that the Shiba Clan had produced two sons, it seemed it was finally the time to fulfill this pact." Saburo explained to the nobles, some of them had been unaware of this situation. "Shiba Kaien not only broke his engagement and promised to marry ojou-sama, but he also broke his ancestor's plans. This is a disgrace for the Shiba Clan."

"In the pact it was only stated that the children of the heads should get married?" One Shiba Clan member asked.

"It is as you say."

"Then not everything is lost! Ganju-sama is also the son of the previous Head, surely he can marry Rukia-sama!" That same Shiba elder proposed, and the rest seemed to agree.

"I wouldn't start planning the wedding, though." A voice said from the entrance.

"Kaien-sama?!"

Shiba Kaien in the flesh stood there, looking rather cocky.

"You made it, Kaien-sama! Splendid! Now you can explain your situation!" Another elder said, clapping her hands.

"Ah, that's right."Kaien looked around the room. "What you heard is right, I am married but not to Rukia." He declared, making the nobles gasp.

"But why, Kaien-sama? Why did you break your word?"

"To be completely honest with all of you, I never wanted to marry Rukia. Not because there's something wrong with her, but simply because it was never _my_ decision. I don't love her, and I know she doesn't love me either. But back then, I was too stunned by recent events to say anything. I had just lost my father and had become Head in the span of a few months, and now I had become engaged to a much younger girl. It was too much to take in in so little time.

I never wanted to marry Rukia, that's true, but I _intended_ to. It hadn't crossed my mind that I'd be sacrificing more than just my life, but Rukia's as well. Our freedom would be gone. And I also hadn't realized that, as Head, I had a say in this, I could stop it from happening, until someone reminded me of it." He said, locking eyes with Ichigo, who nodded in understanding. "It also helped that I fell in love." He chuckled. "So, I followed my heart like my uncle before me, and I married the woman I love, setting Rukia free in return."

The whole room gasped, and then erupted in accusations.

"Why wasn't Rukia-sama enough?"

"You have no shame!"

"You broke your word, Kaien-sama!"

"Shut up!" He yelled. "As always, you elders only care about your interests. Rukia is not a piece of meat for you to decide who she should marry. She's an incredible young woman who has barely seen and experienced the world. She should travel, work, and do what she pleases before she settles down. And when she does get married, she should marry the man she loves, the man she will choose herself, like I did. I married Miyako not for money or benefits, she's not even a noble, she's a regular woman, but with a big heart. I love her and I don't regret marrying her. And if the great Shiba nobles can't accept that, then I quit. I don't want to be Head anymore if it means I shall renounce to my own freedom, and integrity as a person." And with that, Shiba Kaien left the room to the astonishment of the rest.

It chaos from then on. Accusations followed. Some Shiba nobles cried. Kūkaku and Ganju exited the room, and went after their older brother, probably having a lot of questions themselves. Isshin shook his head, remembering his own experience, when he himself had left the clan. They say that love is the death of duty, but this had to do with much more than just the love of a woman. It was something only few could understand. It was freeing yourself from previous attachments to live the life you wanted. It was scary but worth it. Something the nobles, who loved rank and money above all else, wouldn't understand.

"Silence!" He said, using a tone of voice he had heard his father often use. "My nephew has formally left his position as Head in a meeting as the rules of our Clan dictate. He's no longer Head. Now, before we settle this issue of the broken engagement, the Shiba Clan will need a new Head. For that, we will need to meet again after some time has passed, and we can think with a level head." The former Head explained, and various voices agreed with him.

"Very well. We will meet again in the Shiba estate in precisely two weeks from now. You are all dismissed." Byakuya said, stood up, and left with Rukia in tow.

The young woman locked eyes with Ichigo, the two wondering what would happen with their lives next.

* * *

Exactly two long weeks later, all the nobles were reunited, but this time in the main Shiba manor. All Shiba Clan members were there, minus Kaien. Similarly, all Kuchiki Clan members had gone to the manor for the meeting. Isshin decided to direct the meeting, seeming as the elders seemed still too shocked by the course of events to be objective and keep order. They were all sitting down as in the Kuchiki manor, but this time both Byakuya and Isshin were sitting at the heads of each table.

"Well, honorable members, what have you decided?" Isshin asked once everyone had settled down.

One of the younger elders stood up. "As per custom, the next Head should be the previous Head's heir, which in this case would be Shiba Ganju." Said man gulped, and shifted in his seat. "However, we deem Ganju-sama as his brother, too young to rule, and certainly not one who will follow the rules of the Clan, and will eventually leave it too. Next we thought about Kūkaku-sama, older than Ganju-sama, but more spirited. She is also not fit to be the next Head."

"Then what will proceed?" Isshin calmly asked.

The elders started looking nervous. "Well, you see Isshin-sama, the next Head _must_ be always the son or daughter of a former Head, no exceptions. As you see, besides Kūkaku-sama and Ganju-sama, there is only one such person, and as it is, it happens that that person is yourself, Isshin-sama." This statement was met with gasps not only from Isshin's children, but from the Kuchiki Clan members as well.

"Is there no other way?"

"I am afraid not, Isshin-sama."

Isshin contemplated it for a few moments. He looked at Yuzu, his darling daughter who was so much like her mother, then at Karin, his very headstrong daughter, and finally at Ichigo, his only son, who would probably lose much more than anyone else in the Clan if he were to make the wrong choice. His mind settled. "Then, I will take my title as Head back, as I suppose it should always have been." The Shiba Clan erupted in cheers.

"Dad?" Ichigo asked, but Isshin shook his head.

"Not now, son."

"Then, we shall move onto the matter of the engagement." Byakuya spoke, and the rest nodded.

"Father, may I speak? I believe I have the right to voice my opinions as it turns out it is _my_ engagement we are talking about." Rukia interjected, startling the Kuchiki elders, who had never heard her speak in a meeting before.

"You may." Byakuya conceded and she stood up.

"As Kaien-dono said in our previous meeting, I never wanted to marry him, and thought about our wedding with dread. I was happy when, through his own wedding to another woman, I became free of that engagement. Now I voice my opinions regarding this matter: I shall not marry a man, unless I have chosen to marry him. I will not let the Clan manage my affairs any longer. I do not want to leave the Clan, but I'm afraid I'll have to if my decision is not approved. From now on, I will choose my own destiny." She spoke clearly and with confidence, rendering everyone in the room speechless for a few moments, until the nobles were back at their accusations.

"Stubborn girl, how dare you try to change the rules?!"

"Like mother, like daughter!"

"The union between both clans must be fulfilled!"

"What has become of the great Kuchiki Clan?"

"The youth are becoming too proud!"

"Silence!" Byakuya said. He remained impassive, and then turned to his daughter. "Rukia, have you thought your proposal through?"

"Yes, father. I have thought hard about what I want for the last two weeks, and this is what I want, the freedom to choose when and who to marry."

"And is there a man you wish to marry?" Byakuya said, almost knowingly.

Rukia, in fact, had thought and spoken with Ichigo several times during those weeks. They thought about worst case scenarios, and other possibilities. Finally, Rukia came to a decision. She was going to be truthful and say what she wanted to do. She was going to be brave and fight for her relationship with Ichigo, and if the nobles didn't agree, so be it, she'd leave the clan and start anew. She knew Ichigo was her _it_ , there was no man in the world she wished to be together with. After listening to her father, she was prepared to admit the truth, but before the words could leave her lips, a voice resonated across the room.

"There is!" Kurosaki Ichigo said confidently, standing up and locking eyes with Rukia. All nobles gasped.

"Isn't that Isshin-sama's son?"

"When did this happen?" The nobles murmured, but the couple wasn't paying attention anymore.

"Ichigo…" She whispered. The young man started walking towards her, and when he reached her, he boldly grabbed her hand and entwined their fingers together, displaying their love for everyone to see.

"Rukia, is this true? Do you wish to marry Kurosaki Ichigo?" Byakuya asked.

"I do." She proclaimed, but she wasn't looking at her father anymore, her eyes never strayed from Ichigo's brown eyes.

"And do you, Kurosaki Ichigo, wish to marry my daughter?" He asked the other man.

"Hell yes!" He exclaimed, and grinned at his lover, who chuckled.

"Then, it seems like all of our problems have been solved." Isshin interjected. "Ichigo is my son, which makes him a Shiba, and since I'm the Head, he is my heir. This makes him completely eligible to be Rukia-chan's fiancé. This way the pact can be fulfilled, to the happiness of each party."

Some elders tried to protest, but their arguments died before they could express them. This solution had come from heaven itself. As Isshin had pointed out, Ichigo was now the best prospect for Rukia, and it helped that such a union was desired by both of them as well. Now, it was not possible for the pact to be broken.

"Then we can all agree that my daughter and Kurosaki Ichigo are betrothed?" Byakuya asked.

"On one condition." Ichigo said, and all the nobles felt like groaning. They had been so close to a decision.

"And what could that condition be?"

"Ichigo and I will get married whenever we decide to do so, not sooner or later." Rukia said.

"Very well, I accept that decision. Elders?" All the elders and the rest of the nobles nodded in agreement. "Then, the Kuchiki Clan accepts this engagement."

Isshin grinned. "I also accept it. Shiba elders?" The Shibas nodded as well, they didn't need to argue anymore. "Then, Kuchiki Rukia and Kurosaki Shiba Ichigo are hitherto engaged, and will get married when they decide to. We all expect wedding invitations within a reasonable time when the occasion comes, so that we can all make it to the event." The Shiba Head proclaimed, and the nobles clapped.

Rukia and Ichigo smiled at each other. Then, they leaned in and shared a passionate kiss, grinning madly when they heard Ichigo's family cheering in the background. Things were finally going their way.

* * *

Ichigo took a look at the Shiba manor's gardens. They were as beautiful as Yuzu had described them. They had a wide variety of plants, and were calm and peaceful, the perfect environment to think. He sighed in sheer bliss from the calmness that surrounded him. It was a perfect evening to rest from his wild life.

"Ichigo." The man looked up and saw his father already sitting next to him.

"Dad." He greeted the man.

"How do you like the manor?"

"It's huge. I can't believe no one gets lost in here. I also can't believe you grew up here, and turned out the way you did." Ichigo said ironically, earning him a hit on the head.

"Disrespectful son! Is that the way to speak to your own father?" Isshin said with mock hurt.

"It is when you have a father such as you."

"Hmmm… when you have a son as rude as yourself, you'll understand all my woes." The father threatened his son, who rolled his eyes.

"Whatever."

"Speaking of which, I sure do hope Rukia-chan and you don't wait too long to make me a grandfather. I think you've had enough practice and can get started on the real deal." Isshin complained.

Ichigo turned bright red at the insinuation, and gaped at his father. "What?"

"Oh, please, did you think you could fool me? I've known about you two from the very beginning. You're not as discreet as you think you are." Isshin said, as if he hadn't just thrown a major bomb at his son.

"Then why didn't you say anything?!" Ichigo exclaimed.

"I wanted to see how you would resolve it. I had a feeling you'd end up eloping, but I'm glad everything got solved in the end." He commented and smiled. "I've loved Rukia-chan from the start, and I'm glad she'll officially become my third daughter."

The young man shook his head. "And it didn't bother you that we were straight up cheating on Kaien?"

Isshin snorted. " _Please_. Do you think Kaien didn't cheat on Rukia? He probably dated other girls before getting together with his wife. In fact, I always found it weird he went to Osaka so frequently. Eventually I came to the conclusion a girl was involved. I was just waiting to see which one of you would break first. It did surprise me it was Kaien, though. I thought for sure you'd convince Rukia to run away with you before the wedding. Or that you'd stop it, anyway."

Ichigo scratched his neck. "We _did_ plan on eloping before this whole Kaien situation." He admitted.

The father chuckled. "Like father, like son. And Rukia-chan just now managed it like a true Kuchiki. I guess she's more like Byakuya than anyone thinks. Also, it did surprise me the nobles didn't throw a fit when Rukia and you told him about it. Byakuya must've something to do with it. He probably was also counting on you to break that marriage."

"Wait… Byakuya knew too before this?" He asked, bewildered.

"Yes, he has known for years, but never did anything to stop it. He likes seeing his daughter happy, and that's why he even allowed it. Yuzu and Karin knew too, if you were wondering. And Kaien as well."

"What?"

"And even if he hadn't known it before, after your little 'conversation' with him, he probably put two and two together, which is good since that gave him the final push he needed to do what he wanted."

Ichigo smiled. "I guess we were never alone. You all helped us in your own ways. Thank you for that."

"Don't even mention it, son. If Byakuya and I got our happy endings, by all means, our children should do too. However, I'm afraid that even your union with Rukia-chan comes with a price." Isshin said gravely.

That caught Ichigo's attention. "And what's the price?"

"You're a noble now, Ichigo. This makes you equal to Rukia-chan in all aspects, including the right for your freedom. From this moment onwards, you will have to fight for it, and make decisions that otherwise you wouldn't need to do. The elders won't forget Kaien's affront, or even Rukia-chan's bold decision. They will be at your backs, and later on they will take it out on your children. You will also become both heads of each clan. Remember that."

Ichigo mulled over his father's words for a while. "What the meeting showed me is that things are changing within the clans, especially when the heads take charge. I think it's possible to change outdated rules, and grant more freedom to the members. But even if it weren't possible, it's a small price to pay for a life with Rukia. I think it would've been worse if she had ran away with me, and had been separated from her father. It would've deeply hurt her, and she would've regretted it forever. Now, she doesn't have to stop seeing her family, and we can be together. We thought the price would be greater, and we're thankful for this opportunity."

Isshin smiled. "I suppose so. Regardless, the price of love is always willingly paid, no matter what."

"I can testify to that!"

Father and son both laughed.

* * *

 **A/N:** Actually this chapter is the reason why this fanfic is rated M. I'm not very good at writing smut, that's why it wasn't very detailed. I just wanted to convey the feelings of loving each other and not wanting to let go. There's definitely lust there, but more love. I also picture Ichigo being needier than Rukia. As for their ages, the beginning takes place before Rukia's birthday, by a few weeks. This is why she's younger than Ichigo.

Rukia is very conflicted during this chapter too. The answer is simple: she doesn't want to trouble her father or hurt the family's relationship with the Shibas. So, she's sacrificing herself and her own happiness, but as Ichigo points out, she does it because she's scared, not because it is truly impossible. I think this is a very Rukia trait. Sacrificing yourself for the greater good even if there are other options.

I know that lately there's been a lot of talk about Renji being abusive in the fandom, and I know he's not everyone's cup of tea, but I really, really like him. He's one of my favorite characters. I couldn't _not_ include him here. Specially because I think that canon Renji will always have Rukia and Ichigo's back, so I wrote it like this here. Originally, Renji was supposed to have a super crush on Rukia, that would eventually desolve, and he'd try and do anything to help them be together once he found out about their situation. But because that'd be too long, I decided to just mention the crush, and have Renji still help them, just indirectly. I hope you liked the way I wrote Renji, even if his appearance is brief.

And I've turned Ichigo into a sap! Oh, well!

I honestly have a hard time picturing Ichigo as a doctor, and that's another reason I reject the canon. However, I made Karin a doctor, because I thought it'd be cool if she had something in common with her father, which is both endearing and funny at the same time, given the fact she's generally exasperated at him.

I paralleled Ichigo's conversation with Rukia and Kaien on purpose. Kaien was in the same situation, and Ichigo was the catalyst for him to change things. He did it for Rukia, but also for Miyako. Ichigo's resolve to change Rukia's fate, gave him the strenght to fight for love as well.

I headcanon Yuzu taught Ichigo how to cook, and he's actually not bad, and likes to surprise Rukia with dinner on special occasions. Also, it might seem like Rukia's resolve crumbled too quickly, but she had been giving this a lot of thought, and had partially made up her mind to just be with Ichigo. She just need reassurance, and Ichigo gave it to her.

In the original ending, Rukia leaves her father a letter writing her reasons for not marrying Kaien. Then, she elopes with Ichigo on the day of her wedding. Byakuya finds the letter and shakes his head. That's why the plan of "leaving a letter" was included as a call back to that ending. Also, a cookie to everyone who said Kaien would fall in love with Miyako.

Byakuya and Isshin totally covered up for Ichigo and Rukia. That's why the elders never found out about them being together. Kaien was also very discreet, but grew impatient and let, on purpose, the information slip. The elders aren't as sly as they think they aree. So, if you guessed that both Isshin and Byakuya knew about the relationship, you were right! They didn't push them together, but accepted it and watched over them, seeing how it'd turn out.

The idea for this fanfic was that sometimes you have to sacrifice things for love, that's the price you must pay. We never know what's the actual price, and if we or someone else will pay it, but it's worth it to be with the person you love. I find it more beautiful when couples are shown sacrificing for each other. This was the general message I wanted to convey.

Finally, this story started with the Kurosaki family, and I wanted it to end with a heart to heart between Ichigo and Isshin. I loved their few conversations in the manga and wanted to write one of my own.

Thank you so much for reading! See you on the epilogue!


	5. Pachelbel's Canon

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach. It is property of Tite Kubo.

 **Author's Note:** Guess who forgot to update because she published more fanfiction? That's right, me. I sincerely have no shame. Anyway, this is the epilogue. Truthfully, the story ended on the last chapter, but there was a scene missing, which I know a lot of you were expecting to see. So here it is.

This experience has been amazing. I loved writing this story, and I loved seeing your reactions. I'm glad you enjoyed it as much as I did. A big thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, and put this story in their favorites. You guys rock! Now, this isn't the end. I'll be writing more IR fanfiction. I'll also be participating on the IR month. You will be able to find my entries on a fanfiction called "If Not in This Life, Maybe in the Next." There's already a one-shot published in that collection. I'll be writing a lot of AUs so stay tuned for more.

Hope you enjoyed this story, and I'll see you guys soon!

P.S. Listen to Pachelbel's Canon while reading this story if you can.

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **lightdesired:** Thank you! I'm glad you liked it!

 **IRreader:** Thank you! I love their relationship, and I tried to make it seem natural. I'm glad I succeeded.

* * *

 _Pachelbel's Canon_

It was the wedding of the year. Both the Kuchiki and Shiba Clans were reunited on the main Kuchiki manor to witness the wedding that would finally fulfill the pact made by both families a long time ago. Although the bride and groom would have preferred a simple wedding, both clans had gone overboard, with an elegant banquet, a live band, and silk kimonos for the newlyweds. The ceremony was going to be held on the shrine at the Kuchiki manor, and the feast at the gardens, the perfect place for a June wedding.

On the front rows, their closest friends and family were sitting. Keigo was blowing his nose, as he shed happy tears. Mizuiru gently patted him on the back, a little embarrassed that his friend was acting in such a way. Chad watched everything with a smile on his lips, and once or twice had to discretely wipe tears from his eyes. Orihime was openly crying, no longer in heartbreak, but in happiness for her friends. With one hand she was holding Uryū's hand, their fingers entwined, while the other gently rubbed her baby bump. Renji was also there, feeling a little uncomfortable in his tux, and his eyes straying from the ceremony to look at the attractive black haired woman, whose name he had heard was Tatsuki. Said woman was quietly wondering how it had all come to be, but ultimately feeling happy that the situation had resolved in such a way. She tenderly watched the ceremony, her eyes sometimes gazing at her best friend and her husband. Tatsuki shook her head. She had acted like a fool in high school. She should have known better. Ganju was sobbing, claiming this was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, while Kūkaku continuously told him to shut up, though she was close to tears as well. Kaien was sitting next to his younger siblings with a three year old boy on his lap. On his right side, Miyako, his wife, was sitting, her hands rubbing her belly. She turned to look at her husband and smiled. He gently kissed her knuckles.

Yuzu was blushing, and her eyes were glistening with unshed tears she refused to let free. Karin was smiling, a peaceful expression was set on her face. She had never felt happier or prouder in her life. Next to his daughters, Isshin was seating, cladded in silk robes, and looking proud. Kuchiki Byakuya was sitting on the other row, surrounded by his family members. A rare smile had settled on his face, as he watched the end of the ceremony.

"You may now kiss the bride." The priest proclaimed after the ring exchange.

The groom turned to his bride, grinning. "This is it, Rukia."

The bride looked back at him, from beneath her white veil. "It is." She said, smiling.

Ichigo leaned down, grabbing his wife by her waist, pulling her close to him, and then he kissed her passionately. Rukia grabbed him by the front of his kimono, and tiptoed to meet his waiting lips.

Everyone started clapping, and a few people (mainly Renji) wolf whistled as the couple kissed. They pulled back, and Ichigo rested his forehead on Rukia's own forehead. Their eyes met, shining with unbridled joy. The man couldn't help himself, and kissed her again, earning a gasp and then a laugh from the woman.

A lot had taken for them to reach this moment, including almost seven years of an illicit relationship, fighting back an arranged marriage, and eventually winning the fight. They had waited four years to get married, and in that time their relationships with themselves and others had changed. Ichigo had become a noble, and now regularly had to present himself to clan meetings. Rukia had started working at a law firm, while Ichigo worked at a police station as detective, with Renji as his partner. Yuzu and Karin had decided to move to Tokyo to be closer to their father and brother. Isshin had taken over as Head of the Shiba Clan, and had begun changing rules and traditions, to ensure the protection of his children and future grandchildren. Byakuya had too started changing things in his own clan, feeling it was time to move forward. Ichigo and Rukia had rekindled their friendship with Ishida, Orihime and Tatsuki. As it turned out, Orihime and Ishida had fallen in love during medical school. Ishida dropped out after two years, and decided to pursue a career as a fashion designer. Orihime graduated, and decided to specialize in pediatrics. Tatsuki opened her own dojo, while Chad worked part time in it, and part time in an animal rescue site. Mizuiru was a business man, and Keigo had become an accountant. Kaien had moved to Osaka, along with his wife. Ganju had opened his veterinary clinic, and Kūkaku kept working at a family company.

After almost four years had gone by, Ichigo felt it was time to get married. He bought a ring and popped the question. Rukia said yes.

"I love you, Mrs. Kurosaki." Ichigo said during his wedding night, kissing his wife softly.

"I love you too, Mr. Kuchiki." Rukia joked, as she returned her husband's kiss.

All those years of trials and tribulations had been worth it in the end. The price of love had been paid.

* * *

 **A/N:** This is the ending I wanted for the characters at the end of Bleach, but, oh well, at least here they got a happy ending.


End file.
